BadMofo
Well-Known Member
Well, I wrote him... I don't know what a good solution is for it.
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FIVE STAR
- Thread starter bellumbill
- Start date
Smithy
Well-Known Member
New jacket.
bach37strad
Member
Shawn got back to me this morning, and let me know that the quick distressing is aparently a feature of the HH, rather than an issue. Unfortunately that wasn't made super clear when I was deciding on hides, had I known, I'd have stuck with my original choice of steer hide. My main concern isn't with the small bits, but just how easily they came off. I'm concerned about a much larger chunk coming off somewhere down the road.
True to form however, Shawn has offered to either fix or replace the jacket in either goatskin or steer hide. I almost hate to take him up on it, knowing how much work it was to produce, but If I've learned anything from holster making its that you can't significantly change the properties of the leather. Even with a re-dye, I think it would continue to peel in spots.
Does anyone here have experience with Shawn's steer hide? Between the two choices, what do yall think?
True to form however, Shawn has offered to either fix or replace the jacket in either goatskin or steer hide. I almost hate to take him up on it, knowing how much work it was to produce, but If I've learned anything from holster making its that you can't significantly change the properties of the leather. Even with a re-dye, I think it would continue to peel in spots.
Does anyone here have experience with Shawn's steer hide? Between the two choices, what do yall think?
mulceber
Moderator
If he's offering the goatskin he used on his Dubow repro, then I'd go with that. Some of the nicest goatskin out of the box I've seen. His steerhide is okay.
That is worrying though. Leather, even fast-aging leather, isn’t supposed to do that. It’s be better for Shawn to stock a regular-aging horsehide, or even a nice steerhide, rather than have leather that peels.
That is worrying though. Leather, even fast-aging leather, isn’t supposed to do that. It’s be better for Shawn to stock a regular-aging horsehide, or even a nice steerhide, rather than have leather that peels.
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bach37strad
Member
I agree. To be fair, I've rarely worked with garment leather, but I've made a number of holsters, wallets, belts and straps with assorted leathers from Tandy and have never come across a peeling issue like this.
I'll be taking Shawn up on his offer to replace it with goat, with some minor alterations on the fit. So far he has been nothing but compassionate and understanding, and as many have said here his customer service is excellent. I will definitely be ordering a Poughkeepsie a2 in the future from him, but I'll keep in mind to be more selective and clear about the qualities I want out of a hide.
Flightengineer
Well-Known Member
Guys, whatever you want, but this chunk flaking is not normal, it's some kind of shame. It should not be.
mulceber
Moderator
Just be sure to specify you want the goat he uses for his Dubow repros, as Shawn stocks several varieties of goatskin, and he very well make a mistake and end up sending you the regular stuff otherwise.
MaydayWei
Well-Known Member
This is a real shame. Even more so, that this is a recurring problem.
Shawn truly has the best customer service out there, and I do not wish in any way to speak ill of him or 5 star.
In good faith, however, there is an increasingly worrying trend that every other jacket he has sent out has a 'peeling' issue; which, according to him, is a 'feature' of the leather; that the leather is fast-aging etc. etc.
Yet, he readily sends such 'fast-aging' jackets out without making it clear to the customer from the start.
Hence, many customers go in with the presumption that the leather is normal; but is in fact given the 'fast-aging' leather.
I have my suspicions as to whether or not this peeling is really a 'feature' or just poor quality hides.
I've warned time and time again on my other thread; but there seems there is a presumption that you want fast-aging leather, unless you specify otherwise.
Nonetheless, as I have made clear on my other thread: be damn clear with Shawn that you do NOT want fast-aging leather!
This is puzzling because the end result is not only an unhappy customer but a sunk cost on Shawn's end.
One has to wonder if he's pawning off lower quality stuff to us and hoping we don't make noise; that we are hopefully convinced that that's just the way the leather should be. Truly boggling.
I don't understand why so many mistakes are making it through Quality Assurance.
Shawn truly has the best customer service out there, and I do not wish in any way to speak ill of him or 5 star.
In good faith, however, there is an increasingly worrying trend that every other jacket he has sent out has a 'peeling' issue; which, according to him, is a 'feature' of the leather; that the leather is fast-aging etc. etc.
Yet, he readily sends such 'fast-aging' jackets out without making it clear to the customer from the start.
Hence, many customers go in with the presumption that the leather is normal; but is in fact given the 'fast-aging' leather.
I have my suspicions as to whether or not this peeling is really a 'feature' or just poor quality hides.
I've warned time and time again on my other thread; but there seems there is a presumption that you want fast-aging leather, unless you specify otherwise.
Nonetheless, as I have made clear on my other thread: be damn clear with Shawn that you do NOT want fast-aging leather!
This is puzzling because the end result is not only an unhappy customer but a sunk cost on Shawn's end.
One has to wonder if he's pawning off lower quality stuff to us and hoping we don't make noise; that we are hopefully convinced that that's just the way the leather should be. Truly boggling.
I don't understand why so many mistakes are making it through Quality Assurance.
busdrivermike
Well-Known Member
This “quick distressing” feature if that’s actually what this is is something
That 5 star should probably be listing and describing in the product description
Drop down menu of jackets on their site.
giving the customer the information and ability to opt for a different leather just as they can choose
Custom size Liners and knitting.
While I have no doubt fivestar is correct that many people like a jacket that quickly distresses looking like it’s
Been on several Indiana Jones style adventures while actually just being worn on adventures to the grocery store
And local coffee shops , many others don’t want that feature, This shouldn’t be a surprise feature
That catches a customer of guard.
I myself prefer to let them age the real way , on my motorcycle in the elements thrown on the floor
Used as a cushion and the cats Sleeping on them
That 5 star should probably be listing and describing in the product description
Drop down menu of jackets on their site.
giving the customer the information and ability to opt for a different leather just as they can choose
Custom size Liners and knitting.
While I have no doubt fivestar is correct that many people like a jacket that quickly distresses looking like it’s
Been on several Indiana Jones style adventures while actually just being worn on adventures to the grocery store
And local coffee shops , many others don’t want that feature, This shouldn’t be a surprise feature
That catches a customer of guard.
I myself prefer to let them age the real way , on my motorcycle in the elements thrown on the floor
Used as a cushion and the cats Sleeping on them
mulceber
Moderator
I'm not sure I think this is a problem of communication, and I don't think it's a problem of the hide being "fast-aging." BK's Liberty hide and Eastman's Warhorse are both fast-aging horsehides, but they don't feel the need to tell every customer that it will age quickly, because "fast-aging" for their jackets means that once you've worn it for six months, you'll be starting to see some light edge wear. Shawn's hide starts showing really extreme edge wear in just a week, even as the leather otherwise looks new. If we take Shawn as his word that the leather is supposed to be fast-aging (and I'm generally willing to), then the only conclusion is that the tanner didn't do the fast-aging treatment right.
Shawn knows his business better than I do, but I really think he should abandon efforts to produce fast-aging hides. Both attempts so far have led to complaints, and I don't think anyone's going to be upset that their $350 A-2 repro can REALLY take a beating.
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flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
WingAndaPrayer
Well-Known Member
I have a dubow in the seal steer hide and brother, this is some damn nice leather. It’s wearing the top coat and not flaking like the HH. And it’s very soft and smooth.
WingAndaPrayer
Well-Known Member
I’ve only had this jacket a month but it’s been out in the rain, good and soaked, I replaced the alternator in my truck wearing it and it regularly gets balled up and thrown in the back of the closet. And it’s just now showing that light edge wear.
Flightengineer
Well-Known Member
Photos with chunks of exfoliation on HH clearly have nothing to do with fast aging leather. This is clearly a manufacturing defect. A leather jacket shouldn't peel off like an egg or a cheap faux leather office chair. We have all seen how a real leather jacket ages and wears off. What is shown here in the photo is something else.
flyincowboy
Well-Known Member
My B3 from five star start to age fast too!....After a few months just walking with the dog and sitting in my truck.... not big deal but was surprised ! my refurbished B3 has different leather who look much stronger and age differently..... certainly a better tanning process.....and different supplier!
ties70
Well-Known Member
Would you share some photos?
The last sheepskin hides used for my jacket... and probably yours... we're imported so it shouldn't be a FS in house tanning / dyeing process problem...
