Stretching leather jackets - possible to do?

This has probably been discussed many times before, and for the same reasons: we're getting 'bigger' in the mid-section as we age, or we buy a jacket a bit too small to begin with because we like it, etc. I'd just like to know if a jacket can be 'stretched' out, just like the 'hot water technique' can be used to break it in (and shrink it some as it did mine).

I bought a size 42 Aero Leather Bronco A-2 recently; it was a bit loose on me and I also wanted to bring out more of the HH grain. I was aware of the 'hot water technique' from using it on an Aero 1938 jacket to good effect. But when I used the technique this time, the Bronco shrank a bit more than I'd anticipated - still OK, but snug. And the zipper also looks 'funny' because it doesn't lie perfectly flat now, looks like it didn't shrink proportionally to the leather of the jacket, if that makes sense.

So now I have a nice Bronco A-2 that was just a little loose-fitting and 'way too new' looking, that fits more like a wartime 42 or current 40 than a 42. I probably should have left well-enough alone, I know. But please give me some insight if you have successfully 'enlarged' your A-2 jacket and if so, what did you do? Thanks in advance, George

You can stretch a jacket, but I find most won't want to stay stretched. They will shrink more permanently than they'll expand.

Tight fits along seams, such as a neckline or armholes, are pretty much permanent. If they do give, the stitching, which is tough, will pull them back to size (or shrunken size) pretty quickly. You might get a little more room out of a belly or sleeve, though.

Horse and cow are also more expandable than goat. Goatskin has those small cell structures which resist water more and also seem to be more resilient. I stretched an Aero AN-series Navy goat jacket out quite nicely once; it resumed its size in just hours.

Leather might not be alive, but it has "living" qualities and it is tough. Try to work it without the right tools or training, and it will fight you.

Re: shrinking goatskin jackets - possible to do?

How well does goatskin react to hot water shrinking?

I think it's always easier to shrink them than to stretch them. Probably more permanent too.

CBI_Historian said:

SNIP

So now I have a nice Bronco A-2 that was just a little loose-fitting and 'way too new' looking, that fits more like a wartime 42 or current 40 than a 42. I probably should have left well-enough alone, I know. But please give me some insight if you have successfully 'enlarged' your A-2 jacket and if so, what did you do? Thanks in advance, George

Click to expand...

Hi, George,

Sealbeachbum has had some good experiences stretching jackets - here's one of his posts:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1387

I has a bit of success stretching the arm length of a hh jacket.

Completely soaked the arm in warm water from just above the woolen cuff to the shoulder sleeve to armpit seam - almost too hot to touch by hand - after 5 minutes I pulled the jacket out, wrung out the arms by rolling them parallel to the length and squeezing out as much water as possible.

Then used two pieces of clean wood across the cuff - closed them with a "C" clamp - placed a 5 pound weight in each arm - hung the jacket on a very sturdy hangar with a couple of towels a wrapped around the hangar to keep the weight from creasing the shoulders.

Let dry at room temperature for about a week - then Pecards to put the moisture back in the leather.

Got 1/2" length increase in the sleeve length.

Now after reading sealbeachbum's article on enlarging the whole jacket - this may apply to those of us with pot bellies.

Just wet the front of the jacket only then wring out - most jackets fit us portly guys across the back and shoulders but come up short on the front side.

Instead of using a sleeping blanket for expansion, buy one of those large exercise balls - they only cost about $10.00 or so - blow it up to stretch the jacket front and let dry.

You could also use the same method of clamping the front waistband - then at the same stretch the length of the jacket front by hanging weights from the boards being careful protect the shoulders on the hangars.

Something else I've come across - thanks to Zoomer, I think - use a hat band stretcher to stretch the armpit holes if a little tight.

As sealbeachbum says - "If they can shrink, they should be able to stretch."

And as usual - any advice here is all at your own risk.

Of course - the best advice - order the correct size or failing that, lose 20 pounds or so - yeah, like I'm going to qiut overeating at my age - :lol: :lol: :lol:

Bill French

I've had good experience by putting my B-3 on, then wetting the tight A-2. Put it on over my B-3 and wear it as long as you can sitting or laying down. Robin

Thanks for the tips, I'll update you guys as soon as I make a decision and do it! George

I have tried this hot water then the dryer method about four times in a row with my goatskin A-2 modern mod, blousy, gusstey, side-paneled, two-piece rear sleeve panel reality,
and I am very pleased with the size reduction with no apparent adverse effects. I even kind of like the thing now. I'd like to find the folks who decided to modify the original A-2 design and just scream Christian Bale-like at them. I'd like to, but for obvious reasons, I wouldn't.





dean

zoomer said:

I think it's always easier to shrink them than to stretch them. Probably more permanent too.

Click to expand...

I had a really cheap A-2 look-a-like, probably cowhide, it was supposed to look distressed. The jacket squeeked and the arms were way too long. If the jacket hadn't been so noisy, I might have had the arms cut down, but the cost to tailor it was more than what I paid for the jacket. I decided to hot water shrink the arms. Tried it several times. When that didn't work, I hot water washed the whole jacket in a washing machine and threw it in the dryer with a couple of soft balls to beat the jacket into submission. :roll: That wasn't a real smart move, the centrifugal force of the dryer kept flinging the softballs and popping open the dryer door, which stopped the dryer I ended up drying the jacket without the tumbling softballs.

Grand outcome from hot water soaking the sleeves, hot washing the entire jacket, and heat drying this jacket...nothing. The sleeves are still the same length, the jacket still squeaks and my dryer door is dented from the inside. :cry: The jacket looks a little cleaner, but other than that this el-cheapo jacket looks pretty much like when I got it...dunno what that says about the quality of this jacket, I purposefully abused it and it showed no ill effects.

Your mileage may vary with a really expensive, nice jacket.