BK liberty horsehide finish

[P-47 thunderbolt]

Has anyone here had any experience with Real McCoys pigment finish hides? I had a russet dubow from the 1990's at one point (passed it on). Listed as pigment finish in their catalogue. The finish on that was matt like a spray finish and very easy to wear off

 

[jeremiah]

Pigment finish does not wear off fast in my experience. Not at all. Hence your originals that can still look as good as some do.

 

[mulceber]

And that’s probably part of the reason why few if any of the high end jacket manufacturers use it. For all that we complain about repro hides aging too fast, the market isn’t gonna go for a leather that still looks virtually new after a decade of ordinary wear.

 

[petermack09]

That kind of wear after just a week wouldn’t work for me,,,

 

[Greg Gale]

That wear worries me to be honest. I also purchased a Dubow from Platon and I intend to use it for flying and working around airplanes. I wouldn't want it to look 50 yrs old in a month, because what would it look like in 10-20 years? :/

 

[mulceber]

What I find weird about it is that Platon’s jackets are made from Vincenza, or something very close, which I don’t think is designed to age faster, is it?

 

[Juanito]

What I find weird about it is that Platon’s jackets are made from Vincenza, or something very close, which I don’t think is designed to age faster, is it?

The leather has nothing to do with it...it is strictly the finish applied.

 

[petermack09]

That wear worries me to be honest. I also purchased a Dubow from Platon and I intend to use it for flying and working around airplanes. I wouldn't want it to look 50 yrs old in a month, because what would it look like in 10-20 years? :/

Can you imagine if our £700 boots wore that quickly & we where told yeah its called patina ,,,I’m not a violent person but I think I would happily stick the boots ,with my foot still in it where the sun don’t shine,,

 

[P-47 thunderbolt]

The leather on the RM Dubow was super soft and had a very matt finish

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Here you go:

Oh Dear

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

What I find weird about it is that Platon’s jackets are made from Vincenza, or something very close, which I don’t think is designed to age faster, is it?

Vicenza has NEVER worn like that in my experience (6 years of using the leather)

 

[mulceber]

Vicenza has NEVER worn like that in my experience (6 years of using the leather)

I believe it. Platon describes it on his website as “the exact same kind as the one widely known in the market as ‘Vicenza horsehide’ and from the same supplier,” but also describes it aging in pretty much the same way that BK describes Liberty HH. I wonder if they got Vincenza and gave it whatever finishing treatment they use on BK’s horsehide.

 

[jeremiah]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but while Platon’s leather might be similar to Ken’s via same tannery, the special requests would be different so Platon’s version is indeed most likely finished differently which would account for the top coat revealing the base coat more readily and quicker.

 

[zhz44]

Andy from BK told me that the current Liberty is semi-aniline. They were full-aniline, but switched to semi now.

 

[ausreenactor]

I would assume that a plastic or metal buckle caused the wear. Another week would have seen the wear progress through to the actual leather. A-2's are probably not the best for outdoor pursuits like this?

 

[Juanito]

I would assume that a plastic or metal buckle caused the wear. Another week would have seen the wear progress through to the actual leather. A-2's are probably not the best for outdoor pursuits like this?

Personally, I love the A-2 for this kind if stuff. It is light enough not to be bulky and leather does not snag on branches nor does it collect burrs.

I think this may be somewhat of unique combination of the jacket being extremely wet a few times with the leather getting pinched and rubbed between a medium sized pack on the outside and the rig for my .45 on the inside...sometimes bear spray just doesn't cut it. I doubt any non-pigment finish would hold up--I know neither Eastman, Goodwear, nor Diamond Dave would under the same conditions--and that is from actual experience of owning them.

 

[mulceber]

Well, that’s a relief. Good to know that everyone’s repro jackets aren’t in imminent danger of aging 20 years overnight.

 

[B-Man2]

Well now ... if only that were true with some of us I know I’m feeling older every day. I mean old !!

 

[ausreenactor]

I guarantee a bear will cause more wear than a satchel. That .45 would be the best barrier to that kind of 'wear and tear'.

 

[Skyhawk]

Wear and tear is one thing, but Bear & Tear...... well that is just not good at all!