Gettin’ wet to break in…

[TrainDriver]

And no…I didn’t.

It was a legit question. Not April fools. I wasn’t scared off. I didn’t “play” anyone. I’m not a complete imbecile. Not complete.

My name is TrainDriver, and I started driving a train at 10:00 last night and didn’t stop driving my train until 10:00 this morning. The time lapse was exhaustion and walking around in a leather jacket in a rain storm.

In truth, I barely got it wet..just walked around a few minutes. Rain mostly beaded up. I then just sat in it and kind of flexed across my back, then bowed out my chest since my upper half is where most of the tightness is.

 

[TrainDriver]

And the question still stands…how wet? I didn’t let it even get wet enough to let it get dark like things do when they get wet. Individual drops, yes, but water certainly wasn’t cascading off.

The second part I knew - the drying part.

 

[B-Man2]

And the question still stands…how wet? I didn’t let it even get wet enough to let it get dark like things do when they get wet. Individual drops, yes, but water certainly wasn’t cascading off.

The second part I knew - the drying part.

Ok .. good one
So to address your real question ….. “how wet” depends on what you’re trying to accomplish with the jacket.
If you’re trying to bring out the grain of the leather, a few light wet downs will do the trick . Notice I said wet downs not soakings. If the hide doesn’t react to the first light wet down, do it again , and again until you have your desired result .

 

[YoungMedic]

And the question still stands…how wet? I didn’t let it even get wet enough to let it get dark like things do when they get wet. Individual drops, yes, but water certainly wasn’t cascading off.

The second part I knew - the drying part.

The most important thing is it doesn't really matter how wet just control the circumstances of drying and you should be fine. No dryer no direct sunlight, if you wear it till dry it will be made just for you.

 

[TrainDriver]

I KNEW it!

Actually, based on the before pic, the shrinkage may have done some good!

To be sure that doesn’t look too big. Maybe wide in the neck, but I measured 42 and ordered a 48. I knew it would be tight and folks here and even Shawn at FiveStar suggested 6” larger if I like it a little looser.

I requested 28” back and 26 1/2 sleeves which were both several inches longer than their size chart for a 48. I’m happy with the sleeves, but I’d be happier if I’d gotten another inch or two in back length.

 

[B-Man2]

30 inch back length ???
How tall are you?
If you’re shorter than 6’4” tall the jacket will come down and cover your rear end .
I have an original 48 and the back length is 26.5 inches .

 

[Chandler]

To be sure that doesn’t look too big. Maybe wide in the neck, but I measured 42 and ordered a 48. I knew it would be tight and folks here and even Shawn at FiveStar suggested 6” larger if I like it a little looser.

I requested 28” back and 26 1/2 sleeves which were both several inches longer than their size chart for a 48. I’m happy with the sleeves, but I’d be happier if I’d gotten another inch or two in back length.

To my eye, it looks long and the sleeves look long.

But 42 to 48? That's a big jump. Is 5 Star's sizing that (what?) funky?

 

[TrainDriver]

30 inch back length ???
How tall are you?
If you’re shorter than 6’4” tall the jacket will come down and cover your rear end .
I have an original 48 and the back length is 26.5 inches .

6’1”. I’m just not a short jacket fan. I’m ok with having to “lift” my jacket a little to get my hands in my pant pockets. Don’t like it when my jacket comes up when I reach my arms out.

But c’mon, we all know the real problem is the extra length is negated by the girth below the chest and above the belt!

 

[B-Man2]

6’1”. I’m just not a short jacket fan. I’m ok with having to “lift” my jacket a little to get my hands in my pant pockets. Don’t like it when my jacket comes up when I reach my arms out.

But c’mon, we all know the real problem is the extra length is negated by the girth below the chest and above the belt!

All well and good if that’s what you like , however as I look at your photo your jacket is pretty long on you now . If you go to a longer length, at some point when the knits expand and get loose, the jacket zipper box is going to be down around your “nut sack” . Not a good look any way you cut it.

 

[Chandler]

But c’mon, we all know the real problem is the extra length is negated by the girth below the chest and above the belt!

Oh yeah? What's that about, can you tell me about it?

 

[Pa12]

Nut sack height would be a modern fit in my eyes.
By the way, doesn’t all this wetting wreck the wool knits?

 

[TrainDriver]

All well and good if that’s what you like , however as I look at your photo your jacket is pretty long on you now . If you go to a longer length, at some point when the knits expand and get loose, the jacket zipper box is going to be down around your “nut sack” . Not a good look any way you cut it.

Well, they gotta be warm too.

 

[B-Man2]

Well, they gotta be warm too.

Well good luck with it . For what it’s worth, if you happen to change your mind after ordering one that length … I’ve never seen a jacket , no matter how wet it gets and no matter how long you throw it in a dryer, shrink 2 inches in length …..
just sayin

 

[Silver Surfer]

the prob with shrinking a jacket vertically is the zipper becomes wobbly, that is that becomes like a roller coaster. a pain to zip up and down, loaning itself to snags and possible broken teeth.

 

[TrainDriver]

Ok .. good one
So to address your real question ….. “how wet” depends on what you’re trying to accomplish with the jacket.
If you’re trying to bring out the grain of the leather, a few light wet downs will do the trick . Notice I said wet downs not soakings. If the hide doesn’t react to the first light wet down, do it again , and again until you have your desired result .

Aiming to expedite the breaking in of the jacket. To get it to loosen up and move with me rather than fight me every time I move.

 

[TrainDriver]

the prob with shrinking a jacket vertically is the zipper becomes wobbly, that is that becomes like a roller coaster. a pain to zip up and down, loaning itself to snags and possible broken teeth.

Definitely not trying to shrink it! Trying to break it in. To get it to loosen up some.

 

[B-Man2]

Aiming to expedite the breaking in of the jacket. To get it to loosen up and move with me rather than fight me every time I move.

I’ve heard of putting a dry jacket into a dryer with no heat setting and tumbling it around for a couple of hours a day until it loosens up but never tried it. Some here do the light rain thing, not a soak, and wear it until it drys . Sometimes it takes several of those but the best way I’ve found is to just wear it daily and at the end of each day just roll it into a ball and throw it in the corner.

 

[Micawber]

I have never lost sleep over repro jacket wear. If you know your measurements, or get measured properly then that’s 3/4 of the battle. Buy a size that suits, wear it as much as you can, when you can, don’t baby it and don’t sweat about it. Get it wet? Fine, I wouldn’t wear it as swimwear but rain is no problem, in fact it’s ideal to keep it on and let it dry naturally as it will help it mould to your body shape. Nothing is certain in this game though as leather is a natural product.