s4rmark
Well-Known Member
My mrs is the same but she was quite taken With the Aero irvin and said she would wear one .
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Topic for Conversation : Why are members leaving VLJ?
- Thread starter B-Man2
- Start date
My mrs is the same but she was quite taken With the Aero irvin and said she would wear one .
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
That's not how I recall the welcome received by the last lady I remember joining.
I came very close to resigning my membership that weekend
Cobblers161
Well-Known Member
I do love this place, I don't really post anymore as my interests have shifted away from the military to British workwear but I still lurk as there is a wealth of information to be had.
I've noticed that quite a few people don't post here anymore and it seems to have coincided with two things, the change of the forum to this current version and the increase in prices particularly repro stuff. A fuse was blown at my end on the forum following the constant increases from Eastman, perhaps I was a little too vocal but it signified the end of my love with jackets and the forum.
As it transpires being priced out of the market meant I flogged most of my military stuff and kept a handful of originals. It's not missed and companies like Old Town keep me going and feed the hunger.
One of the major positives of this place has been forging friendships with members some long distance, some on FB and others closer that have meant battleground trips to Normandy, Bastogne and Berlin. Thanks to this place I've had a ball and am looking forward to another trip in June to Normandy again for the 75th anniversary along with my VLJ comrades.
Another reasons I keep popping back is to re-read the wise words of dear Deeb7 who is still sorely missed.
A few notable members who I haven't seen in a while and miss are Andrew Swat, Thunderbolt, Clark J, Vcruiser, airfrogusmc, I even miss Rotenhahn but that was in another place in what seems a very long time ago.
The forum changes and moves on but the friendships remain. Which is nice
I've noticed that quite a few people don't post here anymore and it seems to have coincided with two things, the change of the forum to this current version and the increase in prices particularly repro stuff. A fuse was blown at my end on the forum following the constant increases from Eastman, perhaps I was a little too vocal but it signified the end of my love with jackets and the forum.
As it transpires being priced out of the market meant I flogged most of my military stuff and kept a handful of originals. It's not missed and companies like Old Town keep me going and feed the hunger.
One of the major positives of this place has been forging friendships with members some long distance, some on FB and others closer that have meant battleground trips to Normandy, Bastogne and Berlin. Thanks to this place I've had a ball and am looking forward to another trip in June to Normandy again for the 75th anniversary along with my VLJ comrades.
Another reasons I keep popping back is to re-read the wise words of dear Deeb7 who is still sorely missed.
A few notable members who I haven't seen in a while and miss are Andrew Swat, Thunderbolt, Clark J, Vcruiser, airfrogusmc, I even miss Rotenhahn but that was in another place in what seems a very long time ago.
The forum changes and moves on but the friendships remain. Which is nice
petermack09
Well-Known Member
Is this a serious question ? ,seems like one of the main reasons people are leaving or not posting is the purile comments left by people who really should know better.They childishly try dress it up as humorous banter.Wee bit of news for you,,it’s not..Having received many messages over the last six weeks make me realise there are far more decent people here than keyboard warriors,they know who they are and really should grow up and think before they post,,I for one will visit but posting & comments will be on another forum.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
That's a bit silly.
As I wrote in post #6 on the first page of this thread, I took a month off because of one or two arseholes but received a lot of PMs and emails which made me realise that there's more nice chaps on here than pillocks.
As I also wrote, if you have a problem with anyone being constantly rude or an obnoxious arsehole simply use the Ignore button. That way you never have to see anything from them ever again. I highly recommend it.
Better than cutting off your nose to spite your face.
zoomer
Well-Known Member
There is something very important missing in between facts and opinion: speculation. "Maybes" are only good in science and engineering in so far as they lead to yeses and noes. But we're after something less cut and dried in material history – or at least we ought to be!
MeachamLake
Well-Known Member
I still think this seems like a friendly forum with lots of nice people and great knowledge!
The main issue for me is that I just don't have the money at the moment to spend on jackets - bought a new car recently which sucked up all my cash - and to be honest I've kind of rounded out my collection anyway. Great ELC A-2, M422a and a B-6...couldn't really ask for more. I don't really think I'll be buying any more ELC stuff as the pricing is crackers now.
I'm intrigued by some of the cheaper nylon stuff from Bronson et al, just wish the sizes were bigger and that they were more accessible here in the UK...
The main issue for me is that I just don't have the money at the moment to spend on jackets - bought a new car recently which sucked up all my cash - and to be honest I've kind of rounded out my collection anyway. Great ELC A-2, M422a and a B-6...couldn't really ask for more. I don't really think I'll be buying any more ELC stuff as the pricing is crackers now.
I'm intrigued by some of the cheaper nylon stuff from Bronson et al, just wish the sizes were bigger and that they were more accessible here in the UK...
Vcruiser
Well-Known Member
I was here during the first rendition of Chris's forum which eventually became VLJ. Went through many of the growing pains and characters who popped up. Rottenhaun had a certain charm and humor even though he could sincerely enjoy irritating others. Senicko was the personality to confront new members with inhospitably and rude remarks. He asked to be banned after several years of doling out hostile nonsense and finally Bill French accommodated. What ever happened to BFrench..?? I do miss many of the old crew. I still have a couple repro A2s, B-6 and and an original Aero A2. However my interest changed to repro civi leather jackets some years ago. I must admit that much of the unrest here had became tiresome. I was probably involved in a good part of it but did disliked a 'I am better than you' attitude. Many times I probably should have bit my tongue and remained silent but I didn't.
taikonaut
Active Member
Were about in NW England are you?
The impression I get from VLJ forum is more about repros than vintage. I guess fans of true vintage only or mainly might be looking for a more inclusive place to share with like minded folks. I guess Roughwear has his own place now.
Smithy
Well-Known Member
When I joined back in 2008 there was a lot of original jackets being bought and sold and posted on here.
Prices are one of the big differences now for both repros and originals. Most can't buy them (either originals or repros) at the rate that many were doing a decade ago. It's also one of the reasons why round here now you've seen an increase in interest in cheaper repros like the stuff coming out of China, or AVI LTHR or Platon's new thing.
taikonaut
Active Member
I remember back in 2008 almost every day someone posted here about a great original jacket they picked up for a few hundred dollars from ebay same jackets now would be a thousand dollar or two. It happened often enough you became immune from excitement. Now these kind of posts only come every 3 or 4 months.
I'm not against repros just don't agree with the price that some of them can cost as much as an original. That cant be right, not even 50%.
I'm not against repros just don't agree with the price that some of them can cost as much as an original. That cant be right, not even 50%.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
That’s an interesting point you’ve raised. We do seem to be more repro oriented these days but , if we had more vintage jackets discussed or more original A2’s discussed, would we keep more people or....just loose different people ??
Here’s what I mean by that:
There are a number of people who have been around here for a long time , like Vic , Grant, Van and Rough Wear when he was here, and others, who have nice collections of original jackets with tidy sums of money invested . Over the years they shown their jackets and discussed their jackets probably a number of times . I for one never get tired of seeing their jackets or hearing about them. The reason being .,, that I also have a few originals and I like looking at theirs and comparing them to the ones that I own. But what about the people who don’t have originals or vintage jackets and aren’t likely to have one due to lack of funds or any one of a hundred different reasons. Would we begin to loose them after a while ??? Knowing that they can’t afford the cost of an original jacket and we are discussing jackets they will never be able to own?? Would the reverse scenario now take place, where Rough Wear stays with the forum and others who don’t have original vintage jackets leave?? I don’t know the answer, I’m just posing the question.
taikonaut
Active Member
Vcruiser
Well-Known Member
Ha..I remember waay back when this forum was about Vintage Leather Jackets 'and' vintage military jackets plus repros of both. Andrew came along and sharply helped change the course of this forum to strictly military. Many followed his direction, and now we actually have a Vintage Military Leather Jacket forum. Too bad that both aren't popular here. I think that would make this forum prosper and become more active.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Van
Agreed..... and we can do that . It’s our forum and if people enjoy seeing a variety of jackets then that’s ok too. I think there’s room here for other jackets of interest as well as other opinions. I mean look at the jacket you just posted and the positive feedback you received.
All good stuff!!
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Smithy
Well-Known Member
And "Bob Dong"
That's probably made people prick their ears up more than anything else over the last 18 months or so. At the least it's made for a few laughs and more than the odd snigger.
If the Chinese can do the same with A-2s and leather flying jackets as they've begun to do with the cloth and nylon stuff, then that might be a big game changer.
Vcruiser
Well-Known Member
The first couple of versions of Chris's forum was an antiquated poor layout called 'The 20th Century Forum'..or something like that ( been so long ) which included all kinds of vintage 'style' jackets and discussions. I think this is also the third VLJ version beginning in 2008 with a much better format which then veered into military domination. I belong to both the VLJ and the FL. This is a leather military jacket forum most exclusively which has dwindled and the other has a much more active utility or civi leather jacket section separate from the fedora and vintage clothing wear sections. Some FL members have tried posting here about their interests in leather civi jackets but were not welcomed and in some cases discouraged at the time. I would think that the best of both worlds would be a forum that happily included both interests. I actually know of none that exist...
