Help needed in trying to identify unusual wear to an A-2

[Peter Graham]

I've owned this 27753 A-2 for about four years and I never thought much about the wear to the left hand pocket until I noticed wear in exactly the same area on several A-2's for sale on ebay. There is an area on the left pocket that is worn practically as smoth as glass. The leather is not thinned or stained. The only thing that could have caused this is repeated rubbing on something over a long period of time. Does anyone know of a piece of equipment or part of an aircraft cockpit that would cause this kind of wear ? Maybe I'm being fanciful but it would be nice to think that the wear occured during the jackets service life.

 

[zoomer]

Any favorite object - a lighter, cigarette case, sunglass case - could have been stored there and the spot rubbed many many times by the wearer, out of superstition, nervousness or just plain absent-mindedness. We all have our tics and twitches, after all.

 

[deeb7]

Any favorite object - a lighter, cigarette case, sunglass case ...

Yep .... I always assumed that it was cigarettes.

 

[johnnynotoes-1]

On lighters in particular... Zippo lighters tend to leak a little fluid when filled. The cheaper knock-off versions even worse. When I used to carry a lighter I learned quickly to stick to Zippo and never completely re-fill. Fluid seepage whilst carrying in a pants pocket would leave a reddened burning irritation on my thigh.

The jacket pocket also seems to me to be almost stained along with the burnished appearance. Lighter fluid would spread farther into a stain than anything water based I'm thinking. Consequent rubbing of any kind would also accentuate it maybe? Just a thought. Zippos having been fair popular from the mid-thirties on. Almost standard equipment in a pilots kit during the hard years I'd expect. J.

 

[joeson]

I would say that is definite leakage,as the staining seems to be the same on both the higher and lower points.

 

[johnnynotoes-1]

Looks like it doesn't it...the way it extends beyond the pocket seam. Hi Peter...You say you've noticed this on several jackets. May be interesting to see if that mark exists on postwar models [or surplus] into the fifties say. Civvie wearers of surplus jackets...might the odd one bear a similar mark as well? Heh...now me eye will be peeled. Nice jacket btw!

 

[Peter Graham]

Thanks for the comments. Oh well, there goes my nice theory !

 

[Good Wear Fan]

I always thought most pilots wear right handed ,and the left hand was at rest. The color on the pocket matches the sweat stain of the collar.

 

[EMBLEMHUNTER]

Just my opinion,but if it was from a Zippo lighter being there and leaking in the same area over and over wouldn't the shape have been more pronounced and Square/rectangular ?????,

 

[deeb7]

.... wouldn't the shape have been more pronounced and Square/rectangular ?????,

Maybe ... in the end it was left to eBay to make the decision.

 

[Weasel_Loader]

I vote for Zippo spillage.

 

[rumblefish]

For a righty:
Cigarettes in right pocket, lighter in left- Hold cigarette with right hand, light with left. I'll bet it's from a leaking lighter that's been over filled.

 

[watchmanjimg]

I got that impression from looking at the pics, before even reading the thread. My thought was that the hard surface of the Zippo simply burnished the leather from the inside out. I hadn't thought of the fluid, but it makes perfect sense.