Stretching your jacket up a size

[Skip]

Yeah, thats the question

 

[Southoftheborder]

The hide will always tighten up again and the sleeves shrink back a little. I've found that when I've lengthened sleeves by an inch they shrink back about a quarter of an inch over the next month or so. If just left I think I would lose all the gains in not much more than a year. So I pull on them whenever I put it on to try to keep the length; which I find works.

If I'm not wearing it over the summer and it is prone to shrinking back I leave the jacket hung up and the sleeves tensioned with a little weight using a cut off bottle pushed down them - just enough to keep the leather slightly tight.

Most of these jackets are pretty tough and as long as you don't stress a lining, particularly a viscose lining will take a good stretch. If you get the hide completely sodden it could tear if you're the type that strips nuts though....

 

[Greg Gale]

To be safe, I wrote to Rob at ELC before I did anything to my jacket. He replied:

It's quite normal to get some shrinkage , usually the natural shortening would be about half an inch on the sleeves when creases form at the elbows , and less on the body.
It is possible to stretch the leather a little , by gently but firmly pulling (not by the knit of course!) but it is unlikely you will be able to gain an inch.
Be careful if you decide to wet the jacket,this can cause the lining and the leather to distort. It's a good idea to give it a treatment with conditioner once a year though.

So I took the jacket and started grabbing bits of the sleeve (pure leather, not the seams), and pulled gently but firmly. I did't use any water. To my astonishment, I got almost one inch back! Now the question is, how long will they stay like this.

 

[Flightengineer]

Ok, my experience with my ELС.
I was caught in the rain this summer. After returning home I pulled the sleeves of my jacket a little, just like you, Greg. Then it dried up 1 or 2 days and I used Pekard after. The sleeves became about 1 cm longer than they were before the rain. After 2 months they are still the same.

 

[tjoenn]

Anyone ever tried to stretch the sleeves of a fleece jacket?

 

[Smithy]

Anyone ever tried to stretch the sleeves of a fleece jacket?

No and I wouldn't. Very good money says that would end in tears.

 

[jeremiah]

No and I wouldn't. Very good money says that would end in tears.

Both uses of the word no doubt.

 

[jeremiah]

To be safe, I wrote to Rob at ELC before I did anything to my jacket. He replied:



So I took the jacket and started grabbing bits of the sleeve (pure leather, not the seams), and pulled gently but firmly. I did't use any water. To my astonishment, I got almost one inch back! Now the question is, how long will they stay like this.

That’s interesting what Rob told you about getting the jacket wet. He told me quite the opposite in an email exchange. He told me to get it rained on and not to be afraid of doing so as this makes it look better. Not to mention this is what they do when they give the time worn look.

 

[Flightengineer]

That’s interesting what Rob told you about getting the jacket wet. He told me quite the opposite in an email exchange. He told me to get it rained on and not to be afraid of doing so as this makes it look better. Not to mention this is what they do when they give the time worn look.

Time worn is ELC Top Secret info

 

[Lebowski]

My Werber has shrunk a bit in the sleeves and back, originally its measured back 25 1/2, shoulders 18, sleeves 25 1/2. Over 5 years of wear while the shoulders have stayed the same, the sleeves have tunnelled making them 25, and the back, as all these jackets do, has shrunk a little and risen up at the lower back while the front hangs down, it now measured 25.

Below is the process I used to stretch the leather out using water to make the leather pliable. The trick as in my post above is to wet the exterior leather only not the leather and lining, while when stretching try and grab the leather only, not leather and lining, baring in mind that your stretching the leather not the seams where the stitching is.

First wet down the areas you wish to stretch, completely soaking the exterior leather but not getting the lining wet, should only take a short time to soak in, you don't need to hose it for longer than a minute if that. Mine took no longer than 30 secs to saturate enough to work with. The water will seep through to the lining in areas but the lining shouldn't be saturated.
View attachment 9606

next stretch the areas you want to stretch in small sections, trying to grab only the leather, leaving the lining loose if possible. ALWAYS stretch inside any seams or joins. i.e. if a sleeve, grab on the sleeve area not the shoulder/body or the knit or where it joins, otherwise it may stress the stitching and at worst rip the seam. See in the images below how I've grabbed the leather no stitching in between. Do small areas systematically across the area you want stretched and then stretch the entirety of the area.
View attachment 9607 View attachment 9608 View attachment 9609

I put it on to reconfirm to my shape as it drys out naturally, avoid drying out in the sun as this will only shrink the leather again. By this stage its pretty damp, and you should be able to see the fruit of your efforts.
View attachment 9610 View attachment 9611

As you wear it dry it should reconfirm to your shape, as its drying, zip it at least 3/4 closed and you can do some stretching in the jacket, don't stress it, as the seams are still wet, just a little stretching here and there to help keep the shape you want.

Below is the dry version. As it naturally dries it will shrink a little but should have some evidence of stretching in those areas that you worked on. The sleeves are now 26' and the back is back to 25 1/2, and not riding up as you can see in the photos. So I've made an inch in the sleeves and 1/2 in the back.

View attachment 9612 View attachment 9613 View attachment 9614

With all respect, Skip - it looks like A-2 abusing. Would never do that.

 

[Greg Gale]

That’s interesting what Rob told you about getting the jacket wet. He told me quite the opposite in an email exchange. He told me to get it rained on and not to be afraid of doing so as this makes it look better. Not to mention this is what they do when they give the time worn look.

He probably meant that we shouldn't be afraid to wear them in the rain and get it wet. However, when stretching the jacket, there is no need to completely soak it, as it could distort/ damage it.

 

[Southoftheborder]

Time worn is ELC Top Secret info

If using 1000 grade wet and dry sandpaper is secret...

 

[tjoenn]

No and I wouldn't. Very good money says that would end in tears.

Yeah, I didn't think so... just curious. I'd be hesitant to try it on an A-2 as well, but interesting to hear about people's stories.

 

[Silver Surfer]

done properly, with the proper results. well done, matt. and, your elaboration of the process is well written and easy to understand.

 

[Skip]

Thanks Vic.

Wearing it today, completely dry now and still keeping its extra length. I think the back will eventually shorten again over time, I think just due to the way one wears them in my case mostly always un zipped, the weight of the front pulls the back up

Lebowski: all good, each to their own, Ive had this jac for over 5 years now and it’s still going strong and takes everything I throw at it. I wear em hard. Not sure if the more modern BK’s would wear as well though, the seem more ‘delicate’ if you know what I mean.

 

[jeremiah]

No Matt was not abusing his A2. He never scrubbed the thing with acetone. If anyone is guilty of A2 abuse, ‘‘tis I.

 

[jeremiah]

Nah. I take it back. He has been known to throw a jacket into a bag and punch it till it spilled the beans.

 

[Skip]

Well looks like the stretching is staying put. Went to the beach this morning in it, left on the sand in the sun while I had surf. Then took it for a drive in the Vette and breakfast, then home and some gardening. All that movement and sun I thought it might shrink a little but it hasn’t. Very happy with the result

 

[jeremiah]

But you know the real test would have been surfing with it right? Won’t know for sure till you try it.

 

[Skip]

Im already getting strange looks J just by wearing it with boardies, might start a new trend though in surfing active wear

I’m sure a few originals went surfing with parachutes attached 70 odd years ago