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New A-1 Racer in Black 4 OZ Aniline Cowhide

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
We have updated our A-1 Racer with new hides and a few re-designed elements. I redid the collar design and really love the way it has turned out. It is a variation on a A-1 and 37J1 collars with a resizing, and a new type of reinforced collar loop closure. The result is an unique closure in the style of a vintage cafe' racer collar but still having elements of the A-1 jacket. The pockets have been enlarged a bit and moved up off the waist stitching.

The hide is 4 OZ Black Aniline Dyed Cowhide 1.8mm thick. The stuff is heavy and grainy but still soft and comfortable. It has a nice matte finish.

Other hides on tap, 4 OZ Seal Brown Cowhide, and our new Seal Antique "Bull Run" Buffalo hide at a full 2mm thick.

All the materials are correct for the 1930's. Horn main buttons, Casein inner buttons, 100% Cotton Sateen lining, and 100% wool knits.

Now the photos:
Front-1.jpg

Back-1.jpg

Liner.jpg

Horn-Button.jpg


Inside-Grain.jpg


Casien-Buttons.jpg


Collar-Loop.jpg


Collar-Button.jpg


Regards,
Jay
 

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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Jay
I remember seeing the custom jacket like this that HW made for Persimmon a while back in cape skin or something like it. Are the two jackets quite similar or am I totally wrong?
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Jay
I remember seeing the custom jacket like this that HW made for Persimmon a while back in cape skin or something like it. Are the two jackets quite similar or am I totally wrong?

No that was literally an A-1 with a 37J1 collar. This is totally different. The pockets, the collar and the materials are all different.

There was another A-1 Racer that we made before though. But again, different collar, pockets and hides.

So I would say similar, but when you get down to the details, quite a bit different.
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Are these made in USA?
Hi Ken. Fancy seeing you on another one of my posts trying to tear down my jackets.

I have always taken the high road with you, call it respect for a fellow jacket maker or just basic human decency. My patience is wearing thin and this respect is waning.

Normally I would just address the issue at hand, but this has gone too far, and now you are posting on a sale link of mine trying to put down my jacket. At this point I won't get into all the mud slinging about others, but will just say that your bully behavior is getting pretty obvious to many, and it seems that people are not liking it.

This is a non-issue buddy. I have been transparent from day one about my jacket production. They are made in India as I have stated since my very first thread about Headwind. I am sure you know this if you have been on this forum and read about my jackets. I have also had some test jackets done in Pakistan with limited success so they may be a future option for some of the jacket models. No matter where the jackets are made I insist on ethical production practices and fair treatment of the artisans that work on my jackets. I also insist on high quality work and materials. These ethics I insist upon exclude any dealings with sweat shop type establishments. Not only is it against my values but those types of factories could never achieve the quality and attention to detail that we get from the small artisan shops I work with.

Well now the Moto jackets are starting to be released, and a sudden renewed interest in my manufacturing practices arises from you. Hmmm.....

I did not want to go here with you. I have been left no choice.
I apologize that others had to see this negativity from me but I will not stand for being treated this way. I am very respectful, but that does not mean I am a spineless jellyfish. I usually show a lot of restraint with my posts due to the fact that I run Headwind. Enough is enough though, and this time I had to speak up.

Now time for me to get back to work, designing and producing jackets that my customers have always loved and appreciated.

Best regards to you all. I love this forum and all the cool people here. It has been one of my favorite sites to visit since I joined in 2005 or something close to that.

- Jay
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
A simple "India" would have sufficed
I saw no country of origin on your site or I wouldn't have asked

As I said, nice jacket
 
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Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
A simple "India" would have surficed
I saw no country of origin on your site or I wouldn't have asked

As I said, nice jacket

Thanks. I thought seeing this info on several posts past and present would suffice. I don't know how you could not have known when everybody else does.

It is also on the site on our "Materials" and Manufacturing page:
http://www.headwindmfg.com/materials.html

Regards,
Jay
 

ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
Wherever these are made, I have been thrilled with the help and info given by Jay to me for all my dumb questions.
In this day and age, there are many roadblocks to making something exclusively in the USA (and I'm sure other countries).
I have watched and helped when I can as my son delves into the world of custom shirt making of retro designs, and his desire to not only make in the USA, but in Los Angeles in particular.

While he's managed to start out doing so, we'll have to see how things go moving forward. I know that's his goal, and I hope it works for many reasons.

That said, in this day and age, one can wait eons for a USA made jacket, wait a good long time in Europe, or try some of the US-based options that may use outsourcing for things. While this is not my first choice as I have stated many times, the current trend of coast and wait times have me looking at smaller places that might be able to help me out before I'm too old to stand. This isn't a dig on makers as much as where I am today. I've owned a lot of jackets - not nearly as many as some - but I've discovered that some of the ones I enjoy the most are not by far the fanciest, most expensive, or most "desirable".

The jacket on this page hit many marks for me. The help/info from Jay has been frankly better than most I've dealt with - some being downright miserable and not where I want to spend my money.
I used to have a lot more money that I was willing to put towards this hobby, now, I feel somewhat smarter and less inclined to go through the process as I have before.

Carry on Jay. While I wish this was made "here", you are a business here and I can live with that if the quality and process is up to snuff, which it sounds like it is.
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
It wouldn't have occurred to me that this jacket was made anywhere but in USA had I not noticed the difference in quality and construction methods to your M422/ANJ jackets, and then noticed the superior jackets (The A-1 Types) were a lot cheaper than the others.
Didn't make sense and I didn't scroll far enough down your page to see the source.

I'm a great believer in retailers drawing attention to the Country of Manufacture, an example of how we believe this should be done is from the text for a new waiscoat recently launched be Aero......................

"We wanted Savile Row grade tailoring and raw materials and we also wanted the waistcoats to be made in The UK, but after two years trying to find a British manufacturer we had to bite the bullet, accept that the skills we needed were long gone from these shores and get the waistcoats made in Portugal. Seeing the final product we are delighted we did, these are truly superb, even by our high standards"

Substitute India for Portugal and the text would be perfect for your A-1s,they are, as you know, very nicely put together.
 
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Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
Thanks. I thought seeing this info on several posts past and present would suffice. I don't know how you could not have known when everybody else does.

It is also on the site on our "Materials" and Manufacturing page:
http://www.headwindmfg.com/materials.html

Regards,
Jay

Jay

I never took much notice of Headwind until someone suggested in the "Best M422 Maker" thread that you were right up there with the likes of Goodwear......check back in my posts
 

ButteMT61

Well-Known Member
I'll be honest, when I saw this jacket, I DID think it was made "here".
That's a compliment all-around. And while I still feel a little less than thrilled, the reality is that like Ken found, skills have diminished from our shores here as well.
I'm just happy to give my business to US-based companies when I can...
 

Persimmon

Well-Known Member
It wouldn't have occurred to me that this jacket was made anywhere but in USA had I not noticed the difference in quality and construction methods to your M422/ANJ jackets, and then noticed the superior jackets (The A-1 Types) were a lot cheaper than the others.
Didn't make sense and I didn't scroll far enough down your page to see the source.

I'm a great believer in retailers drawing attention to the Country of Manufacture, an example of how we believe this should be done is from the text for a new waiscoat recently launched be Aero......................

"We wanted Savile Row grade tailoring and raw materials and we also wanted the waistcoats to be made in The UK, but after two years trying to find a British manufacturer we had to bite the bullet, accept that the skills we needed were long gone from these shores and get the waistcoats made in Portugal. Seeing the final product we are delighted we did, these are truly superb, even by our high standards"

Substitute India for Portugal and the text would be perfect for your A-1s,they are, as you know, very nicely put together.

Perhaps you could create a separate thread to highlight the Aero business superlatives rather than this thread going off track to much.

A simple title might be -
“The Aero Way to do business that other manufacturers should, indeed must, take note of and try to emulate “
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
Perhaps you could create a separate thread to highlight the Aero business superlatives rather than this thread going off track to much.

A simple title might be -
“The Aero Way to do business that other manufacturers should, indeed must, take note of and try to emulate “

I feel that this forum needs to decide whether Fact of Flattery is the priority. Now THAT would make a good thread.........

BTW I'm proud of Aero's business ethics
 

STEVE S.

Well-Known Member
Perhaps you could create a separate thread to highlight the Aero business superlatives rather than this thread going off track to much.

A simple title might be -
“The Aero Way to do business that other manufacturers should, indeed must, take note of and try to emulate “


None of this was about asking where those jackets were made. Ken is not that stupid. It was just another way to poke at someone else’s product. Mainly mine if you read between the lines in his last post. Maybe a better thing would be a poll if available on the forum titled “would you buy from someone with good business/personal ethics, even if the product is considered substandard by the “expert” or would you buy from someone claiming superior quality, but with the ethics of a shithouse rat.
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Ok let's bring this thread back around.

I will take $400 including shipping for this jacket. It is a sweet jacket and you won't be disappointed!

First one to make the payment gets the jacket.
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
Go for the poll Steve.............

This isn't about selling "x" number of jackets, Aero has never been a popular choice on VLJ I've always been aware of that.
If you think we are looking for business don't you think we'd be delving far deeper into the "Original Maker" market.
Yes, I know we are making a Goldsmith A-2 but we are limiting that to 25 pieces and quite a few are already "sold"

Like I said, what do you want reviewers to focus on, Fact or Flattery?
 
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