Horsehide VS. goatskin??

[Former.USAF.C130]

One thing which often gets overlooked is that whilst yes HH tends to develop grain and patina quicker, in the long run, you'd be hard pressed to beat goat for overall look in the end.

I bring this jacket up all the time when this comes up but it's more than relevant because it's the perfect demonstration of just how good, aged, used goatskin looks. It's Mike's (Bluebottle here at VLJ) vintage civvy A-2. This is a hundred times better than horse IMHO. And it's tougher too.

The photos should still be visible...

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/civilian-a-2.31687/

I'd have this over HH any day.

I will add this: I have had 5 or 6 goatskin jackets. They are light but durable, and they just don't show signs of wear through ordinary use. Plus, there is no break-in required.

 

[Spitfireace]

For reference, this is my gw dubowView attachment 146405

Ya looks good buddy. Go Nucks!!!!!! :YA!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Spitfireace]

I will add this: I have had 5 or 6 goatskin jackets. They are light but durable, and they just don't show signs of wear through ordinary use. Plus, there is no break-in required.

Tougher than HH. No maintenance really. WW2 examples seem more well preserved. I have a 7823C Ralph Edwards G-1, and it's a nice jacket. I don't wear it though cause it's just a bit heavy and longer in the body. It is supposed to be like that, but still makes it uncomfortable to sit in really.

 

[Jason22]

For reference, this is my gw dubowView attachment 146405

Oh mate!

 

[Tanker Mike]

Kindly tell me what "BGS" means.

BGS means Bundesgrenzschutz, or German Border Guards. In recent years, they were renamed the Bundespolizei.

 

[Tanker Mike]

I'll second that!
Goatskin is perfect for the higher temperatures and humidity we have in Australia.......and my G&B "Luftwaffe" flight jacket is as good as the originals I've handled......now if they only made the BGS "moss green" flight jacket I'd be a happy man

I would love to see a BGS jacket from Gibson & Barnes. I have one of their current issue Luftwaffe reproduction leather jackets and I get more positive comments on that jacket than anything else I own. It's over 20 years old and still looks great. Sadly, G&B does not offer it anymore.

 

[Former.USAF.C130]

Guys I'm a little torn. I bought my first A2 ever from Shawn like two months ago just to see how I like the style and - if I do - work out the measurements for a high-end-product and sell my current one (I'm not a collector, neither do I intend to become one. I just want one A2 and wear the living hell out of it for the rest of my life. I know, *gasp*)

Turns out I LOVE it and I know my future jacket for life shall be a GS A2 in seal brown which fits me better (my Werber from Shawn is a tad too long). I don't care too much about every minutiae of a specific contract but it should be a reasonably accurate WW2 A2 replica made of a high-level leather that lasts forever and ages beautifully. I'm just wondering if Shawn's GS fits the bill here or if I'm better off investing in something like BK or a GS by Aero. That might be an utterly stupid question as this is all quite new to me but I'm asking myself how big the difference between Shawn's GS and the leathers used by the high-end repro makers. I mean this stuff is like triple the price of a FS, this should be reflected somehow right?

If you will check other threads, you will see plenty of pictures of high-quality leathers without high price.

 

[Former.USAF.C130]

That's my feeling as well. That jacket looks fantastic, but I bet it took forever to get to that place. If you've already got a goatskin jacket, I think it's worth trying a different leather.

It is of course possible to get a nice patina without wearing a goatskin jacket for many long years. About 10 years ago, I had a US Wings goatskin jacket in seal brown. I didn't like the color, so I decided to dye the jacket with Fiebings mahogany or cordovan. The jacket readily absorbed the dye. Between coats, I rubbed the leather with a conditioner designed for horseman to clean and condition saddles and other tack. . Eventually, the jacket was worn smoother, especially on the back, and the jacket was a nice dark reddish tone. Despite my rigorous rubbing, the jacket showed wear only on the back edge of the collar, easily eliminated by dye...and I am not sure my dying/rubbing was the cause of that, because I only noticed it a couple of years later.