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First Pic of my new B-3...
- Thread starter ties70
- Start date
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Saw the pic on Facebook. Shawn is great in 'celebrating the wins'.....
Looks great... What are we talking? A week maybe? Will be tough!
Enjoy it mate!
Looks great... What are we talking? A week maybe? Will be tough!
Enjoy it mate!
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Looks great and I’m sure the wait won’t be long .
flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
Wow such a nice B3! like the colour of the straps.
Persimmon
Well-Known Member
As I know absolutely nothing about jackets with fur collars why are the jacket arms not the same type of “grainy texture” as the body.
I appreciate as they are two tone in colour it must have something to do with the contract specs but they just look so shiny and new and plain in comparison.
To me the jacket would look so much better if the arms leather matched the body leather.
Of course they will no doubt wear with age etc but I just don’t get it.
As I said if it’s got a furry collar, as Sgt Schultz would say “ I know nothing”. It looks well made for sure though.
I appreciate as they are two tone in colour it must have something to do with the contract specs but they just look so shiny and new and plain in comparison.
To me the jacket would look so much better if the arms leather matched the body leather.
Of course they will no doubt wear with age etc but I just don’t get it.
As I said if it’s got a furry collar, as Sgt Schultz would say “ I know nothing”. It looks well made for sure though.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Hi Persimmon
There are a few reasons for the color differences of the jacket and the sections on the arms . You may know all of what I’m about to tell you and if you do please excuse my zealous response . The actual jacket is simply sheepskin that has been turned inside out so that the fur is on the inside of the jacket . The outside of the jacket was tanned to make it wearable in the elements of foul weather and to preserve the hide . The different colored and textured patches or sections were Horsehide or leather that were placed in high point spots of wear that would keep those areas from being destroyed over a period of years . Some makers would dye the entire jacket a seal or Russett color while other makers dye the sections in different colors .
That’s a very simplistic explanation and I hope that I explained it ok .
Cheers
There are a few reasons for the color differences of the jacket and the sections on the arms . You may know all of what I’m about to tell you and if you do please excuse my zealous response . The actual jacket is simply sheepskin that has been turned inside out so that the fur is on the inside of the jacket . The outside of the jacket was tanned to make it wearable in the elements of foul weather and to preserve the hide . The different colored and textured patches or sections were Horsehide or leather that were placed in high point spots of wear that would keep those areas from being destroyed over a period of years . Some makers would dye the entire jacket a seal or Russett color while other makers dye the sections in different colors .
That’s a very simplistic explanation and I hope that I explained it ok .
Cheers
Persimmon
Well-Known Member
I knew none of that. Excellent info. Fur jackets as a group are to me the dark side of jacket collecting.
So the body is sheep skin and the sleeves horsehide. I understand that is for wear and protection purposes in war time etc.
Thanks. I still don’t get though why leaving colour variations aside the sleeves are deemed so necessary to be so plasticky in looks.
In this forum where it seems in every jacket in A2’s et all we are looking for bringing out the grain/wear etc yet in this type of jacket it has that appearance in the body and almost mall type smooth leather sleeves.
It just looks like some kids varsity jacket with sleeves and arms that are different.
Anyway what the hell do I know. I guess that’s why I have never owned a fur collar jacket and joined the dark side.
“Help me Obi Wan Kenobi” !
ties70
Well-Known Member
Mikey,
I have the exact situation with my 15 years old AERO B-3...
It simply did not develop any grain or structure.
Ties
flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
To Persimmon
Guess its a natural thing 2 differents leathers Horsehide/ Goatskin used for reinforcement panels to protect the exposed and rubbing sleeves from damage against the metal and sheepskin wich is soft leather.... They will age differently HH is chrome tanned (most of the time)and sheepskin are veg tanned. For the differents colour and dye like the" multibach jackets" rest and small pieces from differents hides russet redskin /seal brown are used... Just remember it was war time and wasting was not an option!!!.At least they needded somethig like 4 sheepskin hides to make a jacket!
You can see in the picture that the collar and jacket have been made from different pieces of leathers sewned together ( vertical stiching )(horizontal stitching in the let side of the back panel )instead of one piece like every post war repro. it is that kind of details" period correct" i"d like to see on the modern repros The air corps just swapped for the whole seal brown colour from 1942/1943. but the redskin russet version will age better than the seal ones.
Guess its a natural thing 2 differents leathers Horsehide/ Goatskin used for reinforcement panels to protect the exposed and rubbing sleeves from damage against the metal and sheepskin wich is soft leather.... They will age differently HH is chrome tanned (most of the time)and sheepskin are veg tanned. For the differents colour and dye like the" multibach jackets" rest and small pieces from differents hides russet redskin /seal brown are used... Just remember it was war time and wasting was not an option!!!.At least they needded somethig like 4 sheepskin hides to make a jacket!
You can see in the picture that the collar and jacket have been made from different pieces of leathers sewned together ( vertical stiching )(horizontal stitching in the let side of the back panel )instead of one piece like every post war repro. it is that kind of details" period correct" i"d like to see on the modern repros The air corps just swapped for the whole seal brown colour from 1942/1943. but the redskin russet version will age better than the seal ones.
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MikeyB-17
Well-Known Member
Yep, that’s exactly like mine Ties (also an Aero). I still love it though, although it’s about time to put it away again now. I guess, being where it is, apart from the flexing of the elbow, it doesn’t get scrunched up and twisted enough to develop much character-especially attached to a sheepskin sleeve, which, being somewhat stiffer, is not conducive to such actions. Also, having paid a fair few quid for ours, we don’t abuse them quite as badly as the boys in the AAF would have. But it’s true, I don’t recall seeing much grainy horse on modern sheepskin repros.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Hi Persimmon
I wrote this the other day in response to a similar question by Kermit as to why the B-3s have that shiny and plastic look . The same response applies to your question as well.
I’m sure some of you already know this but for those who may not ... The US shearling jackets , all of the B-3 , D1and B-6 jackets hides were finished off with an acrylic finish to protect the hides particularly during wet weather . This gives the jackets a shiny finish. This acrylic finish over the decades that followed , is what caused most of this jackets to get dry rot or to crack the surface and cause the jackets to fall apart over time . The British Irvins did not have this finish and thus they dont have that problem and lasted longer.
I hope that helps answer your question .
Cheers
Persimmon
Well-Known Member
Y
Yes it does.
Still with these plastic looking arms it doesn’t make these modern repro furry jackets look any good though !
But as I said before what the hell do I know
Yes it does.
Still with these plastic looking arms it doesn’t make these modern repro furry jackets look any good though !
But as I said before what the hell do I know
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Try checking out the new Irvin jacket from Aero . It doesn’t have that issue . Mulceber was wearing one in his photo in “What jacket are you wearing today”
Also there are a couple of repros of M-445 and M-444 jackets that don’t have that shine as well .
leper-colony
Well-Known Member
Hmmmmm.. JC's work...
stanier
Well-Known Member
You should see it now, that pic was when new and with John. It's been worn a few times and snowed on and the grain is getting more grainy!
