Artificially aging a jacket

[jschare]

I'm not sure if this has been covered or not but can anyone give me suggestions on how to safely artificially age a new jacket? Specifically removing the gloss. I've read about water treatment and sanding but I'm afraid of damage to the jacket.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[John Lever]

Don't sand it. It might look patchy and the stitching can be damaged.
Try the Hot water treatment or simply wash it and tumble it in a machine. Unzip the jacket before any machine use.

 

[Swing]

Diluted acetone?

~Swing

 

[C.J.]

I tried the hot water treatment and the dryer on a no heat cycle on an old US Authentic once. Hell, I even kicked it around the sidewalk for a while. It did, finally, change the appearance a bit. But, it appeared to look a little "fake" though and the scuffing from the sidewalk reeked havoc on the knits and thread. It didn't have the character and patina of genuine aging. Be careful with it and good luck.

 

[Tim P]

Acetone will remove the sheen but in my opinion artificial aging only ever looks like what it is.

 

[better duck]

Acetone will remove the sheen but in my opinion artificial aging only ever looks like what it is.

That's exactly the point, isn't it? whatever you do other than wearing it, the jacket will never crease, bend, scuff, fade, wear and tear in the same places it will do when you wear it. The hot water treatment will take some of the oils out of the leather quicker, and the result will be that ordinary wear and tear will proceed somewhat faster than otherwise would have happenend. But all in all "just wearing the hell out of the jacket" will always be the best way to get the look of what you want: the look of a well used jacket.

But I understand your impatience: my ELC RW 1401 has been hot water treated twice and worn as hard as a papershuffler like me can wear it, and it still looks quite newish. My ELC Werber though has aged (very beautifully, I might say) beyond recognition in just a years time, without any special treatment.

 

[Andrew]

Zoomers old recipe was to run hot water over the leather only until soaked and then to put it in a dryer set to warm or cool (can't remeber which) with a bunch of towels. It has the effect of increasing the existing creases and wearing off the sheen. Watch out for shrinkage though.

 

[Anonymous]

I scrub with a sponge, warm water and saddle soap. Then rinse with water, towel dry. It takes off the shine. hey, it works on saddles right? cant hurt a jacket. good luck.

 

[Miles_Archer]

Grant gave me a good tip that I've had some luck with. Buy three hookers for the night and roll around on top of them for a while, jacket zipped up. In the morning the gloss will be mostly gone.

 

[deeb7]

..... and the hookers will be shiny.

 

[sealbeachbum]

Grant gave me a good tip that I've had some luck with. Buy three hookers for the night and roll around on top of them for a while, jacket zipped up. In the morning the gloss will be mostly gone.

I tried that technique. It works!

 

[better duck]

Grant gave me a good tip that I've had some luck with. Buy three hookers for the night and roll around on top of them for a while, jacket zipped up. In the morning the gloss will be mostly gone.

I tried that technique. It works!

The lenghts we go to just to get our jackets "spot on" is just amazing isn't it? Effort beyond the call of duty I would call this approach, But if it works - who's to complain? (I can think of someone ....)

 

[Tim P]

probably complain that their boobs were too widely spaced

 

[better duck]

probably complain that their boobs were too widely spaced

Measured from where, and compared to which original?

 

[Tim P]

or not grainy enough

 

[Tim P]

back onto topic though, honest wear will make the jacket look far better than any aging measures. time, patience and weather.

 

[C.J.]

..... and the hookers will be shiny.

It'll take more than that to make a hooker shiny :lol:

 

[jschare]

Well... I got the three hookers last night and rolled around on them with the jacket zipped and, lo and behold, it worked! Now I have another problem... How do I get rid of the smell?? :-o

 

[C.J.]

A little tomatoe juice and a handful of those "little pink pills" and all should be fine in a week :lol:

 

[sealbeachbum]

back onto topic though, honest wear will make the jacket look far better than any aging measures. time, patience and weather.

I agree.