BK liberty horsehide finish

[P-47 thunderbolt]

I have recently bought a Bill Kelso roughwear in seal liberty horsehide. I love the leather colour and drape but to me it just seems that liberty wears a little too quickly to be ww2 accurate? I understand it is a pigment finished leather like a ww2 jacket but I feel that it lacks a sealer. Would it be sacrilege to coat the jacket in a matt leather sealer such as this?, or would it indeed make it more ww2 accurate? I would appreciate your thoughts:

Leather finish scuff resistant sealer, top coat gloss, matt, satin, flat matt. | eBay

Leather finish scuff resistant sealer, top coat finish sealant gloss, matt, satin, flat matt. Various sizes. Scuff resistant water proof, polyurethane leather & Vinyl colour top coat sealer finish.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[jeremiah]

Where were you told it was pigment finished?
It’s not to my knowledge. It says finished the same way originals were in description but it doesn’t use the word “pigment” finish. Anyway,
I would not mess with it myself. That’s just me.

 

[P-47 thunderbolt]

Yeah fair enough, don't really want to risk it. I'm just not 100% sure about it. Maybe I'll move it on seeing as I've only worn it once.
I just assumed pigment finish was the most likely finish as it is a very consistent uniform finish, almost paint like.

 

[Grant]

Sounds like pretty cool horsehide to me. I'd just wear the hell out of it. Can you post some photos of the jacket?

 

[Juanito]

I highly doubt it is pigment finished, more likely semi-aniline. While I know Platon is not BK, though the relationship between the two is deep, Platon states the same thing, but the leather is veg tanned and semi-aniline finished, so while it is claimed to be an exact reproduction of WW2 leather, it really isn't.

Don't get me wrong, it is very nice, and is a good copy, but it isn't the same and as I wear the Platon jacket more, the finish is proving to be thin. I would expect the same from BK or any similar finished leather

 

[P-47 thunderbolt]

Sounds like pretty cool horsehide to me. I'd just wear the hell out of it. Can you post some photos of the jacket?

Pics of the jacket compared to an Eastman are in a previous thread found in Repro forum

 

[P-47 thunderbolt]

I highly doubt it it pigment finished, more likely semi-aniline. While I know Platon is not BK, though the relationship between the two is deep, Platon clas the same thing, but the leather is veg tanned and semi-aniline finished, so while it is claimed to be an exact reproduction of WW2 leather, it really isn't.

Don't get me wrong, it is very nice, and is a good copy, but it isn't the same and as I wear the Platon jacket more, the finish is proving to be very thin. I would expect the same from BK or any similar finished leather

Ah okay, I believe my DD aero has a semi-aniline finish and that wears really quick but in a different way to the BK, would you be able to post a pic of the wear on your Platon dubow?

 

[Grant]

Pics of the jacket compared to an Eastman are in a previous thread found in Repro forum

Ah, got it, thanks. Damn, that Eastman looks pretty sweet!

 

[P-47 thunderbolt]

Yeah that Eastman is a real keeper.

 

[ausreenactor]

Wear it as is...

I have more sheen on the BR and my BK Victory Horse.. The most recent ELC Monarch has a flat finish. My wife described the Monarch as drab when I cracked the box. I love them all for what they are. Billy Joel once said 'Don't go changin'.

I would stick with the jacket as is. Develop the patina....... May take some time... It WILL be worth it.

 

[Juanito]

Ah okay, I believe my DD aero has a semi-aniline finish and that wears really quick but in a different way to the BK, would you be able to post a pic of the wear on your Platon dubow?

Here you go:

 

[ausreenactor]

Would a mid tan shoe polish darken that patch? Risk is making it stand out even more... Another issue would be the potential to darken the stitching if you had to do the whole jacket.

Do you drape a satchel or bag on that side?

 

[mulceber]

Odd that it’s faded in just that way In just that spot. Unless you’ve been wearing some kind of satchel that rubs you in just that place, it sounds to me like a fault in the leather. Might be worth contacting Platon and asking him what he thinks.

 

[Juanito]

Odd that it’s faded in just that way In just that spot. Unless you’ve been wearing some kind of satchel that rubs you in just that place, it sounds to me like a fault in the leather. Might be worth contacting Platon and asking him what he thinks.

That is exactly what it is from. It is not faded and not a defect in the finish, just a week's worth of a caribiners attached to a pack hiking Yellowstone.

 

[Bombing IP]

Put it down as a memento of the trip ,just leave it I say character not a flaw .

JEFF

 

[Juanito]

Put it down as a memento of the trip ,just leave it I say character not a flaw .

JEFF

That is exactly right. Every crease, mark, and wear spot on a jacket is a story. I am not sure why something like that would be covered up. Then again, I do not know why anyone would buy a pre-aged, "Combat clone", "50 mission", "Escape", "Time Worn" or whatever the flavor of the day is. It is real wear that develops the character if the jacket and I have a hard time understanding the artificially aged jacket.

 

[mulceber]

That is exactly right. Every crease, mark, and wear spot on a jacket is a story. I am not sure why something like that would be covered up.

Oh - sorry. I think a bunch of us somehow got it into our heads that you were looking for advice on how to fix it.

 

[ausreenactor]

That's how you do it. 'Wear' it with pride!

 

[Skyhawk]

That is exactly what it is from. It is not faded and not a defect in the finish, just a week's worth of a caribiners attached to a pack hiking Yellowstone.

Jacket looks great.

Not sure about the longevity of that finish. It seems to me that it is a lot of wear in the finish for just a week of hiking / rubbing.

Think about the originals. Never seen a spot like that even on a 50 mission jacket after extensive rubbing on parachute harnesses. An antiqued hide that is made to age quickly would be understandable, but with a standard finish, it seems a bit quick to rub off.

 

[Juanito]

Jacket looks great.

Not sure about the longevity of that finish. It seems to me that it is a lot of wear in the finish for just a week of hiking / rubbing.

Think about the originals. Never seen a spot like that even on a 50 mission jacket after extensive rubbing on parachute harnesses. An antiqued hide that is made to age quickly would be understandable, but with a standard finish, it seems a bit quick to rub off.

I would agree and it is the main issue I have with all these supposedly accurate copies of WW2 jackets and their nin-pigment finishes.