Clean Up Wear/Discoloration Around A-2 Collar?

[HackerF15E]

After a recent thread about re-shaping the collars on A-2s, I reshaped the collar on one of my issued Avirex A-2 (something I've wanted to do for a long time but never knew how).

Unfortunately, this change to the collar shape made some of the leather that used to be inside of the collar now be on the outside. Now, the top of the collar has this discolored black and worn leather.

Is there a fix for this black/shiny color? I've tried plain old water as well as some Lexol pH cleaner, but there's no change. The jacket has been drycleaned recently (from a cleaners that had a reputable leather cleaning aspect)...any other ideas of what to do?

The whole jacket is VERY worn and I'm considering re-dyeing it, but if I could clean up this collar area I might rethink the dye (I rather like the look of some of the wear, but other parts I think look terrible, like the inside of the upper arms...but that's a different thread entirely).

 

[deeb7]

Is there a fix for this black/shiny color? I've tried plain old water as well as some Lexol pH cleaner, but there's no change.

Try sponging the collar with Pears soap lather.

 

[bfrench]

After a recent thread about re-shaping the collars on A-2s, I reshaped the collar on one of my issued Avirex A-2 (something I've wanted to do for a long time but never knew how).

Unfortunately, this change to the collar shape made some of the leather that used to be inside of the collar now be on the outside. Now, the top of the collar has this discolored black and worn leather.

Is there a fix for this black/shiny color? I've tried plain old water as well as some Lexol pH cleaner, but there's no change. The jacket has been drycleaned recently (from a cleaners that had a reputable leather cleaning aspect)...any other ideas of what to do?

The whole jacket is VERY worn and I'm considering re-dyeing it, but if I could clean up this collar area I might rethink the dye (I rather like the look of some of the wear, but other parts I think look terrible, like the inside of the upper arms...but that's a different thread entirely).

Hi, Hacker jr (in deference to our older Hacker member),

I wouldn't change anything on the jacket including trying to remove the collar staining.

These things are all that gives a jacket its look of long term wear and care - wear it with pride as something that has been with you for a considerable time.

So many of us go to great lengths to age a jacket that really never looks right - you've got your holy grail.

Cheers,
Bill French

 

[Marv]

I have to agree with Bill on this one.......leave as it is, looks great.

 

[HackerF15E]

I wouldn't change anything on the jacket including trying to remove the collar staining.

These things are all that gives a jacket its look of long term wear and care - wear it with pride as something that has been with you for a considerable time.

So many of us go to great lengths to age a jacket that really never looks right - you've got your holy grail.

I suspected that would be the answer!

You guys are right -- the natural wear pattern looks cool in some of the areas (I love how the outside of the sleeves has worn, as well as the front down by the pockets), and all of it was legitimately earned the hard way.

This area around the collar, though, is one that I think looks a little ugly. There are also two fist-sized wear spots on the inside of the upper arms where the big nametag and patch on the chest have rubbed over time and worn off the color of the leather, and I think that looks hideous. Those are the things that make me want to re-dye the entire thing.

Here are a couple un-natural light iPhone snapshots to illustrate:

Ultimately, you guys are probably right. I can probably buy a "nice" issue Avirex on eBay anytime I want to, eh?

 

[fl1946]

Here's image of my ELC RW 1401. I too have the dark "rim" -- which I thought was really bad. Sent some pics to Gary at ELC, asking if he could re-dye or worse (for me) replace collar. Gary said same thing as you all, "Leave it alone." I took his advice. Not only did he save me money but saved the jacket. Good luck.

Semper Fi,
Frank

 

[unclegrumpy]

I agree with Bill as well. If you want a newer looking jacket, then put this nice salty one aside, and make room in your closet for a new one.

Just about every modern dye job I have seen, even from the best leather shops, has made the jackets look worse. I realize that some of the guys on this forum are artists, and have been able to replicate the finishes that the Depots put on when jackets were refurbished in WW II, but that is not what you are going to get when you hand your jacket over. What you are likely to get is either something that is going to look like it had brown paint slobbered all over it or was soaked in liquid dye.

I have a WW II Dubow that the Vet did exactly this to in about 1985. He wrecked what had been a very nice original jacket.