Stretching your jacket up a size

[deand]

Just got a Willis & Geiger A-2 off ebay, size 42 Long, as a Christmas present from the wife! Should have fit great, but, alas, too tight! Hot water, wearing and stretching saved Christmas! Fits like a glove. She got it for a song, and aside from the rather 'cocoa' colored leather, it has most of the legitimate features. Wouldn't have known about this procedure without the VLJ! Merry Christmas to all! (I'll post some pics when I get a chance in the repo section.




dean

 

[Zmit]

Hello.
Is it possible to strench only sleeves in this way (per inch approximately?) they bit short for me.
The jacket fits OK - only sleeves lenght not perfect. This is Eastman A2 HH.
Thank you.

 

[Brettafett]

Hi there, doubt it.
If the jacket is still relatively new, you can expect them to 'shorten' a touch over time as you wear the jacket in (less so if its already well worn in). Due to creases forming at the armpits and elbows, you will lose 0.5 to 1 inch on a 'new' jacket, from my experience. Using any form of HWT or CWT (cold water treatment) will only serve to 'shorten' them more. You could try replacing the cuffs and request that they sit a touch longer, but even this will only get you 0.25 to 0.5 inches max (If ELC does it, forget it, they will fit exactly as they are now)...
You could try knits from Larry at Flightjacketknits (Ebay). He sells very authentic replacement knits and they are a bit longer than Eastman's... If you try these you could get that 0.5 inch extra length if attached correctly.
I have had this issue in the past, which is why I opt for 'custom' repro jackets, with a touch of length added to sleeves. Most jackets, incl original A-2s and G-1s' sleeves are a bit short on my arms.

 

[Zmit]

Thank you.

 

[Silver Surfer]

you can get about 1/2" length on the sleeves by soaking them up good, and tugging on them, ya have to do it from the shoulder seam leather [not grabbing the liner] to the end of the leather [not the wool cuff or liner], and then from the arm pit to end of leather [not the wool cuff or liner]. dont go over board or you will break some stitching. because the stitching is cotton, it will also give-stretch, but go easy. every 1/2 hour or so, repeat the procedure so that the leather forms a new "memory", and does not return to the original length.

 

[Zmit]

you can get about 1/2" length on the sleeves by soaking them up good, and tugging on them, ya have to do it from the shoulder seam leather [not grabbing the liner] to the end of the leather [not the wool cuff or liner], and then from the arm pit to end of leather [not the wool cuff or liner]. dont go over board or you will break some stitching. because the stitching is cotton, it will also give-stretch, but go easy. every 1/2 hour or so, repeat the procedure so that the leather forms a new "memory", and does not return to the original length.

Thank you. I'l try.
My jacket is not new, it came from my friend.
It has wrinkles on the sleeves.
Should I wet the sleeve completely by lowering into the water or can I just moisten it outside with a spray-bottle?

 

[Silver Surfer]

use a sponge dipped real good in a bowl of luke warm water. not cold, not hot, room temp is fine. keep on sponging the sleeve [one at a time] till it darkens consistently top bottom underside,, etc, and the sleeve gets kinda weighty from the water. then go to it. when ya get some stretch, repeat with the other sleeve. fortune favors the brave.

 

[Zmit]

Did as you advised.
The folds were smoothed and the sleeve, of course, became longer. It seems to me that when the jacket is completely will dry and I start to wear it, folds will again pick up the goted inch. Now jacket dries and I stretch sleeve from time to time.

 

[Southoftheborder]

I've stretched jacket sleeves by up to an inch using two litre plastic Coke bottles cut off near the bottom with rope knotted on the inside and pushed down the sleeves with weights attached to the other ends. I've wetted them and left them hanging for a week in a cool room to dry.

You have to use your own judgment on how good the leather and stitching is and what weight it can take. But for instance two four pint plastic milk bottles half filled with water pulled out the sleeves of a thirty year old Aero steer-hide HWM jacket by an inch. Or more likely restored them to the original length after the sun and rain had shrunk them over the years.

They did go back by about a quarter of an inch after a few months. But if you give them a good pull regularly every time you put it on you can keep most of the length. The Aero was strongly made with tough hide so could take it. I wouldn't use the same weight on cape for instance...

 

[Silver Surfer]

novel idea, south. reads good to me.

 

[Zmit]

I've stretched jacket sleeves by up to an inch using two litre plastic Coke bottles cut off near the bottom with rope knotted on the inside and pushed down the sleeves with weights attached to the other ends. I've wetted them and left them hanging for a week in a cool room to dry.

You have to use your own judgment on how good the leather and stitching is and what weight it can take. But for instance two four pint plastic milk bottles half filled with water pulled out the sleeves of a thirty year old Aero steer-hide HWM jacket by an inch. Or more likely restored them to the original length after the sun and rain had shrunk them over the years.

They did go back by about a quarter of an inch after a few months. But if you give them a good pull regularly every time you put it on you can keep most of the length. The Aero was strongly made with tough hide so could take it. I wouldn't use the same weight on cape for instance...

Thank you . Today I did this with one sleeve to compare. I think tomorrow the sleeve will dry up completely and it will be possible to understand the result. If it will be OK, then I'll do it on the second sleeve.
In any case, I'll write here.
Thank you again for your support and help

 

[Zmit]

use a sponge dipped real good in a bowl of luke warm water. not cold, not hot, room temp is fine. keep on sponging the sleeve [one at a time] till it darkens consistently top bottom underside,, etc, and the sleeve gets kinda weighty from the water. then go to it. when ya get some stretch, repeat with the other sleeve. fortune favors the brave.

Report ... the first sleeve became longer by almost an inch! Wow!
Impressed - today I repeat the procedure to the second sleeve (the first covered by Pecard now).

 

[Steve27752]

Report ... the first sleeve became longer by almost an inch! Wow!
Impressed - today I repeat the procedure to the second sleeve (the first covered by Pecard now).

If it gets wet, it will shrink back. You would be better off selling the jacket and buying one that fits.

 

[Zmit]

If it gets wet, it will shrink back. You would be better off selling the jacket and buying one that fits.

This jacket fitss me now, just I would like a slightly longer sleeve for my comfort.

I will try not to fall under the rain

 

[Silver Surfer]

au contraire, mon amie. when stretched and restretched as above, i have found that over time and different conditions, the contraction rate has been appx %10-%15. these offers are subject to change. please consult your physician about adverse effects, such as over thinking, moral indignation, snobbery, etc. no gaurantees offered for final results expressed or implied. just enjoy your jacket experience and have fun monkeying around with it.

 

[Zmit]

au contraire, mon amie. when stretched and restretched as above, i have found that over time and different conditions, the contraction rate has been appx %10-%15. these offers are subject to change. please consult your physician about adverse effects, such as over thinking, moral indignation, snobbery, etc. no gaurantees offered for final results expressed or implied. just enjoy your jacket experience and have fun monkeying around with it.

Thanks,Silver Surfer.
Your advise worked.)))
The sleeves are longer by 1 inch.
Banzai!

 

[Steve27752]

Thanks,Silver Surfer.
Your advise worked.)))
The sleeves are longer by 1 inch.
Banzai!

As long as you happy, that is the important thing.

 

[Silver Surfer]

hai!

 

[Persimmon]

More happy longer armed customers using the old stretch technique ....

 

[Silver Surfer]

hahahahahaha, genius.