BK Custom AN-J-3

[Skip]

Here's the custom AN-J-3. Its a size 40 based off a G&F m422 with sizing mods to fit my lanky frame. Measurements I sent to BK were from my refurbished G&F M422, to which I've also included some pics to show both jackets on the same lanky coat hanger.

Hide is Victory HH in dark seal, pretty much how you see the hide in the pictures is how it came out of the box. Knits are A-2 dull purple, dull brown cotton lining, and collar is Roughwear (love that pointy collar), and its extremely comfortable in the wearing.

This is my 3rd BK VHH, and the suppleness of the leather is on a par with the Werber, my first. Although it is supple it does take time and a bit of wear for the leather to relax into the shape of the wearer. If it's anything like the Werber, a weeks worth in the field carrying gear with a bit of sun and rain will have it looking even more spectacular.

Attention to detail is superb, stitching (light olive) is spot on. It's an extra 1/2 inch longer in sleeve and length otherwise all other measurements are the same as my m422. The bi-swing back functions as it should and is symmetrical - no one side is bigger or smaller than the other, nor is it too large or too small, as I've found in some repro USN jackets.

Did I say it's extremely comfortable?

Here's the pics, excuse the metal pole running through my head, I wondered why Megan was smiling, apparently she didn't have the height to get it up to ear level when framing the photo :roll: you just can't trust some people...









by comparison here's the G&F M422





some details:

 

[johnwayne]

Hey Matt
that jacket is pretty damn nice and the fit nigh on perfect IMO - looks maybe a tad stiff on the collar like it needs a bit of 'wearing in' but given time I think that'll be one to hang on to!
Cheers
Wayne

 

[bretron]

Perfect! Congrats to you and great job BK

 

[wheat1479]

Beautiful jacket and the fit is perfect!!!Leather and color are excellent.Are you sure that collar is Roughwear?I didnt know they made one that pointy?I have had two and they were rounded..

 

[Dr H]

That pattern compliments your frame really well Matt.
Very nice colour combination.

 

[Nickb123]

My god. Wonderful.

 

[ButteMT61]

That jacket looks great. Even with the pole through your head, it's an exceptional looking piece (from here).
Congrats. Well done.

 

[saucerfiend]

Man, that jacket is flat out gorgeous! It couldn't fit you any better. You look like a genuinely satisfied customer. Congrats! Chalk one up for BK.


Brian

 

[Skip]

Thank you all.

Hey Matt
that jacket is pretty damn nice and the fit nigh on perfect IMO - looks maybe a tad stiff on the collar like it needs a bit of 'wearing in' but given time I think that'll be one to hang on to!
Cheers
Wayne

Thanks Wayne, yeah once it loosens up it should sit a bit better. The HH is fairly thick, so at the moment it's not draping as well as the m422 shown, but given time and wear .

Beautiful jacket and the fit is perfect!!!Leather and color are excellent.Are you sure that collar is Roughwear?I didnt know they made one that pointy?I have had two and they were rounded..

Thanks wheat, I really like a pointy collar so asked for a one, Andy suggested we go with the Roughwear and included the 'swoop' as it emphasises the pointedness (if there is such a word). If you talk with Andy they will try to include what you want, or give you suggestions based on your ideas.

That pattern compliments your frame really well Matt.
Very nice colour combination.

Thanks Ian. Like the Dark Seal with the berry better than the Aero rusty red, seems to be a better hue that compliments the dark seal. My BK Arco has the rust red knits (soon to be reviewed) and while it does compliment the jacket, the knits dont always go with other colours you may want to wear, and yet the hue is just subtly different, so it doesn't completely match some other brown/ fawn colours you get in jeans and chinos.

 

[siddhartha]

It's beautiful, and the leather looks amazing!

 

[SuinBruin]

From one Matt to another, congrats, that's a stunner.

 

[Skip]

Cheers guys. Going out to an end of work job get together , and a decent steak this friday. Was going to wear the Werber, but think the j-3 might be the go, any excuse to wear it really. It was 24' celcius today, a bit warm for a jacket, but I wore it and drove with the window down, jacket on, to keep the windchill out... Megan in the passenger seat just did the classic :roll:

 

[Dr H]

Matt
Those photos (pole aside :lol: ) look very fine indeed - clear, well resolved, excellent colour.
I know that you don't post on FL, but if you're happy then somebody (Andy?) should repost them as there's some interest there to see BK jackets on customers.
The same applies to your Werber.
Cheers
Ian

 

[Roughwear]

Matt, your AN-J-3 looks superb. The fit is spot on and the workmanship on the jacket is very fine indeed. Enjoy wearing it.

 

[Dr H]

Apologies for the poor photos Matt, but your collar looks pretty similar to the one on the goatskin mil spec AN-J-3 that I sold to Ken.

 

[Smithy]

That is a blindingly beautiful AN-J-3 Skip and the fit looks to be well and truly on the money.

What a cracker!

 

[Silver Surfer]

agreed with all of the above, and then some.

 

[Skip]

Matt
Those photos (pole aside :lol: ) look very fine indeed - clear, well resolved, excellent colour.
I know that you don't post on FL, but if you're happy then somebody (Andy?) should repost them as there's some interest there to see BK jackets on customers.
The same applies to your Werber.
Cheers
Ian

Thanks Ian, took a bit of time, 5 minutes of photo taking and 30 minutes of getting the colour right in post production. For anyone who is interested, Worked out that if you globally desaturate the colour somewhat the leather and knit colour turn out more accurate. Quite willing to email the photos to anyone who wishes to post on FL, just send me a PM with an email address. I'll also send a note to Andy, not sure if he's here.

Your on the money with the collar there Ian. Andy did suggest that they'd base it off their rough wear, or Dubow, and believe they used the RW but they may have modified the angle at the points even more. It was all rather investigative and BK wanted to use what resources they had available, to keep costs down, hence using the patterns as a parts bin and modifying them to suit a particular look. I never actually asked, but I'm sure they did their research. Put my whole trust in their capability based on my ideas and the outcome is there. I thought it was going to be a straight A-2 collar, but BK put the USN touch on the underside with the stitching and button closer tabs which I'm more than happy with. I'm quite chuffed with the collar and believe it makes a difference to the look, one in which i like. The collar in Kens jacket you show in the photos, does that have same USN features. Your old Doniger/McGregor just has the button closure tabs etc not the stitching. As far as I'm aware the stitching was for the mouton's benefit in USN jackets, true?


Thanks Roughwear, Smithy, Silver Surfer, enjoying all the more with each wear. Seem to have the fit down pat now, it's taken a while and a good deal of learning what's in a measurement.

 

[Jeff M]

Hide is Victory HH in dark seal, ...

Nice.

 

[Dr H]

Your on the money with the collar there Ian. Andy did suggest that they'd base it off their rough wear, or Dubow, and believe they used the RW but they may have modified the angle at the points even more. It was all rather investigative and BK wanted to use what resources they had available, to keep costs down, hence using the patterns as a parts bin and modifying them to suit a particular look. I never actually asked, but I'm sure they did their research. Put my whole trust in their capability based on my ideas and the outcome is there. I thought it was going to be a straight A-2 collar, but BK put the USN touch on the underside with the stitching and button closer tabs which I'm more than happy with. I'm quite chuffed with the collar and believe it makes a difference to the look, one in which i like. The collar in Kens jacket you show in the photos, does that have same USN features. Your old Doniger/McGregor just has the button closure tabs etc not the stitching. As far as I'm aware the stitching was for the mouton's benefit in USN jackets, true?

I'm not sure about the role of the zig zag stitching as it was also present on my old USN AN-J-3 (now with Ken) along with the button tab (and the epaulettes that the Doniger lacks).
This BK really captures the spirit of that jacket.