FIVESTAR LEATHER G1 JACKET

[Schmauder]

My Five Star also just smells like leather. It was stronger when I got it, now after wearing it a few times it's considerably less. But it didn't and doesn't bother me.

 

[Shawn Ali]

I finally ended up ordering a G-1 spec. 55J14 in size 46 from Five Star. I received it and was very pleased on the construction, and quality of the Reddish Brown goatskin. However, that's where the "happiness" ceased. In the 5 days I have had the jacket (as per photo below) the jacket reeks with such horrible (really bad) odor that the wife ask me to remove it from the home. It smells so bad we cannot enjoy a meal, or sleep, or just stay in the home. So, I went on the internet to find how to remove odors from goatskin leather. Most advise to use baking soda, or dish liquid and white vinegar and wash the leather down. I have don that and the jacket still has the odor. When I washed the leather with the Dawn dish soap and vinegar the towel shows what came off the leather as per the pictures below. I may end up just trashing this $183.00 smelly jacket. Beware when you buy a leather jacket from a foreign country.

Hi Dear B. Willbnks,

I hope that you are fine and with the best of your health.

Well I really struggled hard on your project worked on 3 days with my team, specially find and sew the special lining on demand, Goat is 100% Premium leather which is used for your jacket, Its
Veg. Tanned Semi Aniline Goatskin,
we never use any Urine or such kind of smell materials in this,
Our Leather is Chrome 6 Free,
Azo Free,
PCP free,
free from all harmful chemical's. So Its not the leather problem at all.

Regarding the Odor issue we use some Waxes at final stage to make the feel and touch of leather smooth and soft, Immediately after the completion of your jacket we used those waxe's on them and packed your jacket into a polybag which may cause this odor. But Please note this odor or smell will vanish within few hours of open air treatment, no professional treatment is required for this.

Further I apologize to respond you late due to some urgent tasks otherwise I will never suggest you to use baking soda or something like this on to the leather surface.

Please also find the attached images of the Care Label which we sewed with each and every of our garment, which explains Professional cleaning only by experts.

Further if any of our customer find our jacket faulty or defective we have a 30 Days return policy, If Odor doesn't gone you should return this to us, which we happily accept to replace or refund without any issues.


You damaged the jacket by some soda washing processes now Otherwise I will accept the complete return of the jacket, I have two options for you
1. We can refund half of your amount to compensate you, and not to make your buying experience bad.
2. We can ship you a totally new custom made jacket again without any odor and you need to pay only the shipping cost, and half of the jacket price we will share with you. Complete Customization will be free to all VLJ members.

Shawn

 

[Shawn Ali]

Please also find below Our 30 Days Return policy, We accept all the returns worldwide

"
Our 30 days money back guarantee RETURN POLICY helps you better experience and satisfaction. Procedure is quite simple to perform your returns in a smooth way.
1. Please send us email intimation before sending your item back to us.
2. Item or Items must be in its original condition such as unworn, without any body smell or fragrance, with tags, packaging and order Invoices. (An item found with any
particular condition, so your returns may delay in process and partial refund policy would be applied).
3. All the payment will be refunded directly to your PayPal account. (Item cost will be refunded only and Postage and Packaging Charges are not refundable).
4. Customer will be responsible and bear any cost accruing for RETURN POSTAGE.
5. For custom size we have no return and no refund policy as we will make this item only for you. So if you change your mind later, this item will be useless for us. But if you found this defective its refundable.
6. For Return handlings we have our New york office for America, and Germany Office for Europe, you can send the jackets back at your nearest location.
ALERT NOTE:
Postage and Packaging cost is non-refundable. FOR INSTANCE, you change your mind after dispatch and want to exchange your item, color or size, so ADDITIONAL POSTAL CHARGES will be applied."

Still we are here to take care of your problem, We will make you happy either way you will be @B. Willbnks

 

[Shawn Ali]

If the weather is right (no rain, windy, maybe sunshine) hang it outside. Got a garden shed? Leave it there for some days... If it gets better, let it there some more days.

If it doesn't work, well, then it's time for the stuff mentioned above....

Best regards

Ties

You are really a professional Guider, Your idea is really Practical

 

[Shawn Ali]

During my searches on how to remove odor from goatskin (and other leathers), I have found that in countries...Morocco, Pakistan, before tanning is done they take the leather and soak it in Camel urine days before tanning. This may be one of those jackets.

I'm going to try one other solution. Buy couple cans of Dr. School's Odor Destroyers spray powder and soak the jacket with it and put it in a trash bad and seal it for about two weeks. That was a suggestion from a leather jacket user.

We Never Heard Nor Use Such kind of techniques, Please use the professional method, Only Fresh Air Treatment is enough

 

[Shawn Ali]

Further Please also note there is difference between Nappa Leathers, and Aniline Leathers

As Nappa Leather became Unbreathable, we can use water repellent chemicals too on this to make this water repellent, But Aniline Leathers are prepared to be Breathable, We can't use thick layers of Chemical outside so if you treat Aniline so bad it's colour may harm, which otherwise should change in huge period of time

 

[B. Willbnks]

Here is my response to Mr. Shawn Ali.

I gave you credit for making a quality jacket. The goatskin and the lining is great. However, you could spend more time selecting and inspect the Mouton lamb fur for a better fit. My jacket (you made) has the right side collar smaller than the left side. Also, there is a bad area on the collar (hide side) that is bad.
Now, for a education you might consider.
I mentioned to you when I first contacted you, that I was issued a A. Pritzker & Sons 55J14 size 40 in 1950. And I got another G-1 (L. W. Foster Sportswear Co) 55J14 size 40 in 1952. These two jackets were worn when I was a flight crew member on a AD-4W Sky Raider during the Korean War. Those jackets were used aboard the two carriers and at NAS Moffett Field, Ca. Most of the air crew, and that included myself used these jackets as "pillows" in the ready rooms and anywhere we needed to take a nap or relax. They taken a lot of punishment, and they with-stood the abuse. What we used to make the leather soft, was "raw fatty bacon." We rub it in the leather like we were shinning our shoes. It left a smell, but, it went away in a few days. NOTE: In early part of the 1960's we started using 'Vaseline" and that was better than raw fatty bacon, and it didn't leave any odor.

Fast Forward:
In 1999 I bought a M422A size 44 from Gibson & Barnes Contract No. 1406A. The first thing I did was rub in some Vaseline to make the seal brown goatskin soft and wrinkle free. I've done it several times since.

Now, back to your jacket you shipped to me. Your jacket doesn't have a leather smell. It has a odor that penetrates to anything it touches. And that includes my M422A that was hanging in the closet next to the 55J14 you shipped. I don't know the kind of "wax" you use, or what ingredients it has, but, whatever it is, it isn't good for the jackets you sell.

We here in United States are used to buying garments that are "odor free", and we also don't want one that leave a horrible odor anywhere it may be placed.
The jacket you sent still has this odor after it has been placed in a pillow case with baking soda. "Which BTW is recommended by many garments makers to remove odors from leather and other materials, and after I have washed it with Dawn liquid soap and white vinegar that was four days ago, and it still reeks the same.

There is an old saying we have here in America. You may fool me once, but, you won't fool me twice"

I have 25 days yet to make a decision to return it. At least I will give you the notice what my intentions are.

BTW: Stop using the wax and switch to Vaseline.

 

[Shawn Ali]

Here is my response to Mr. Shawn Ali.

I gave you credit for making a quality jacket. The goatskin and the lining is great. However, you could spend more time selecting and inspect the Mouton lamb fur for a better fit. My jacket (you made) has the right side collar smaller than the left side. Also, there is a bad area on the collar (hide side) that is bad.
Now, for a education you might consider.
I mentioned to you when I first contacted you, that I was issued a A. Pritzker & Sons 55J14 size 40 in 1950. And I got another G-1 (L. W. Foster Sportswear Co) 55J14 size 40 in 1952. These two jackets were worn when I was a flight crew member on a AD-4W Sky Raider during the Korean War. Those jackets were used aboard the two carriers and at NAS Moffett Field, Ca. Most of the air crew, and that included myself used these jackets as "pillows" in the ready rooms and anywhere we needed to take a nap or relax. They taken a lot of punishment, and they with-stood the abuse. What we used to make the leather soft, was "raw fatty bacon." We rub it in the leather like we were shinning our shoes. It left a smell, but, it went away in a few days. NOTE: In early part of the 1960's we started using 'Vaseline" and that was better than raw fatty bacon, and it didn't leave any odor.

Fast Forward:
In 1999 I bought a M422A size 44 from Gibson & Barnes Contract No. 1406A. The first thing I did was rub in some Vaseline to make the seal brown goatskin soft and wrinkle free. I've done it several times since.

Now, back to your jacket you shipped to me. Your jacket doesn't have a leather smell. It has a odor that penetrates to anything it touches. And that includes my M422A that was hanging in the closet next to the 55J14 you shipped. I don't know the kind of "wax" you use, or what ingredients it has, but, whatever it is, it isn't good for the jackets you sell.

We here in United States are used to buying garments that are "odor free", and we also don't want one that leave a horrible odor anywhere it may be placed.
The jacket you sent still has this odor after it has been placed in a pillow case with baking soda. "Which BTW is recommended by many garments makers to remove odors from leather and other materials, and after I have washed it with Dawn liquid soap and white vinegar that was four days ago, and it still reeks the same.

There is an old saying we have here in America. You may fool me once, but, you won't fool me twice"

I have 25 days yet to make a decision to return it. At least I will give you the notice what my intentions are.

BTW: Stop using the wax and switch to Vaseline.

Thanks for the feedback and very nice suggestions, I definitely do so.. You can inform me about your further decisions..

Sent from my SM-J701F using Tapatalk

 

[Shawn Ali]

Dear @B. Willbnks
I just want to make you happy, if you wish I am ready to send you a new G1 with all the improvements you suggested here, you even dont need to return the previous. I never tried to make someone fool.. I ever feel happiness to do the best work and make my customers feel the value of their money.. I dont want you to think like you wasted your money

Sent from my SM-J701F using Tapatalk

 

[Earloffunk]

Hi Mr. Willbnks, I understand why you are upset but how about introducing yourself to the forum before taking aim at someone? My personal opinion is that there has been enough publicity in your case regarding the G1 - maybe you should also give some credit to Shawn as he is trying to please you. Not sure if there is a right to return the jacket after the treatment you gave to it. So I think Shawn’s offer is very nice. Cheers

 

[B. Willbnks]

Hi Mr. Willbnks, I understand why you are upset but how about introducing yourself to the forum before taking aim at someone? My personal opinion is that there has been enough publicity in your case regarding the G1 - maybe you should also give some credit to Shawn as he is trying to please you. Not sure if there is a right to return the jacket after the treatment you gave to it. So I think Shawn’s offer is very nice. Cheers

Thanks for the info.

Shawn and I had many emails regarding his 55J14 jacket he wanted to make. I think Shawn is a find individual and tries his best to do the correct thing for the jacket he manufacturers. I give him credit for that, and I, by no means think he wants to push inferior leather jackets on his buyers. I also, think he may not know what the odor can do to the customers. The only way he would know that is by the buyer responding about the odor. I may be the only one that received a jacket with such odor. I would hope that is the case here. However, I know what a goatskin leather jacket smells like when it is new, and this is one that separates from any others.

 

[Earloffunk]

So, why doing it publicly? As you said you have been exchanging emails with him and obviously he has offered you several options how to deal with your issue.

But do as you wish. I have made my point and I am out of this discussion.

 

[ties70]

B. Willbnks,

First, thanks for your service!
We hardly get any input here from veterans of the Korean War... If you were issued your first flight jacket in 1950 you must definitely be one of our oldest members here...

Second, sorry for you experience with FiveStar's.
Most here, who took the chance and got jackets from Shawn had a different story to tell. Regarding your jacket, your comments started with a good quality jacket with bad odor... During the posts this turned into additional issues with the construction (collar) and the quality (leather on back of collar).

Did you notice these additional flaws only on closer inspection? Were they obvious?

And why did you post the "Fool me once...." saying? Reading the posts from Shawn, it doesn't seem that he fooled you at all. Quite the contrary, when Shawn posted pictures of the jacket you could tell from his words, how proud he was that he made the jacket for you... Sending you another jacket, no need to return the first, seems to be like a pretty straightforward, good customer service..

Best regards,

Ties

 

[5thumbs]

Reading this with interest. I recently ordered and received a 'custom' A2 jacket from Shawn. 1.2mm leather, different lining, Talon zip and proper label. I received the jacket 4 days after placing the order (Pakistan to the UK) - incredibly quick delivery. The measurements were spot on and the quality was excellent. I couldn't be more pleased. Like the poster above the jacket had a chemical smell which was very strong and masked the underlying leather smell at first. I hung the jacket in a spare room in the house for a couple of days and the smell disappeard 90%. I've now had it for 1 week and I've been wearing it constantly. The chemical odour has gone completely and the only smell now is a rich leather smell. I haven't used any cleaning products or indeed anything else to remove the smell. The poster above may be unlucky but my experience was totally different.

I also have to say that dealing with Shawn has been a pleasure. He responds to emails promptly and goes out of his way to ensure the customer is happy. I swapped many emails back and forth with him and he replied to all my questions promptly and politely. I had asked him to supply a detachable fur collar for my jacket and he came up with a really effective way of doing that without altering the original collar in any way (I know purists wont like that but I fly all the year round and the fur collar makes a heck of a difference when stood on windy airfields in November ). I am in no way affiliated with the company but I think his emails in this thread show a genuine attempt to resolve this situation and for that he deserves credit. I was initially nervous about buying a jacket without being able to try it on but, honestly, I would buy another jacket from him in complete confidence both in the quality and the knowledge that he is genuinely concerned with providing great customer service.

 

[Teddy]

Call me out or ignore me, but all I see is fast food culture penetrating your consumptions of leather jackets. It's fast. You receive the jacket literally right after clicking the button. You can get many of these Five Stars, 6 pieces a year or even more. And after wearing it for a while, you get tired of it and move on to a new one. It's just a toy for a hobby. Can't a man have a hobby or what?

What's wrong with over-consumption? You're helping the developing world to get richer! What's wrong with over-production? Nothing, that's not your concern as a consumer who's only job is to be happy! What's wrong with pollution? You'll just hang it out in the air for a while and no big deal.

I'm not innocent of over-consumption either, so God knows what kind of a world our descendants will inherit.

 

[Gerald Parel]

I ordered a jacket from Shawn Ali this afternoon after 2 pages of private messages. Not once did he show any sign of aggravation despite my questions and changes of mind. I think having the chance to communicate and feedback a manufacturer almost in real time is rare if not unseen. I can definitely relate to any disappointed buyer, but I can't understand the buyer's frustration with such a customer service. The nicer the seller is the more upset the customer is it seems.
Besides, sorry for not introducing myself properly.

 

[B. Willbnks]

When I received the jacket from Five Star by DHL express, I immediately removed from the package and hung it on a hanger in the utility room to air out, as it had a horrible odor other than the smell of leather. After an hour or so the wife ask me to remove the jacket out to the garage, which I did for the night. The next day I tried it on and the fit was great, only the sleeves seems to be about one inch too long, but, that wasn't any big concern. I email Shawn that the goatskin color was perfect and so with the color of the mouton collar, plus the fact it had the odor that seems to jump on anything it get near, and that includes a shirt I had on at the time.
I keep the jacket hung in the garage another two days, and it still carried the odor, maybe not as strong as the day I open the package. So, I taken a pillow case and added about two cups of baking soda to the pillow case and inserted the jacket and sealed the case and re-hung in the garage. The baking soda doesn't harm the leather as stains or changing the color. It just kills the odor which that didn't happen. The next day I went with the Dawn liquid and white vinegar method. I just taken a towel (as the photos I listed) and wiped the leather, and again wiped the leather with a dry towel. I've never had any leather jacket that was cleaned were the tanning color came off the jacket. This was the first.

Now, comes why I made the comments here on the odor. Shawn, never responded to my email about the odor I mentioned. I wasn't upset with that as I wanted to give him time to respond. My main reason was to find out if anyone on this forum had received a leather jacket from Five Star that had a odor other than leather smell.

I have no intentions at this time to return the jacket, or ask Shawn to remake me another one. If I can get this jacket to release the odor and all is well I will keep it.

 

[B. Willbnks]

I would also like to comment. How many members here was issued a new US Navy, Army, or Marine leather flight jacket while in the service. When you open the carton that day the Navy ask you to sign for it and was instructed that it was to be worn only off duty and not off base on liberty, or over a dress uniform. What smell (odor) if any did you find? My bet is you didn't find any odor other than the leather smell. I'm sure the jacket manufacturers in the United States made sure their leather jackets didn't have any other odor.

I'm going to give it another three or four days and try another solution. That would be to use Dr. School's Odor Destroyers. I'll spray the inside of a garbage bag and put the jacket it in and seal it to try and get the odor out. If that don't work. Well!. it won't be worth keeping.

 

[Cocker]

@nkang For me, this is a matter of getting a jacket that fits without selling a kidney. As you know, with my arms, I have the choice of too short sleeve length with correct body fit, or good sleeve length with a body one or two sizes too big.

In the case of 5 stars, I’d be able to score a nice G-1 copy that fits, doesn’t cost much, and that I will be able to do whatever I want with without being afraid of damaging a 800EUR jacket. It may be the first time I’ll be able to score a good looking beater that fits well.

I don’t care if it takes 2 weeks or 2 months, as I don’t plan of ordering it right away.


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[Kennyz]

Hi Mr B. Willbnks. Just wanted to say thank you for your service.

Ken

Thanks for the info.

Shawn and I had many emails regarding his 55J14 jacket he wanted to make. I think Shawn is a find individual and tries his best to do the correct thing for the jacket he manufacturers. I give him credit for that, and I, by no means think he wants to push inferior leather jackets on his buyers. I also, think he may not know what the odor can do to the customers. The only way he would know that is by the buyer responding about the odor. I may be the only one that received a jacket with such odor. I would hope that is the case here. However, I know what a goatskin leather jacket smells like when it is new, and this is one that separates from any others.