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Help Required For G-1 Jacket Hide Thickness

bn1966

Well-Known Member
Hi Folks,

Hope you are all keeping safe & well.

Advice needed please from wise heads.

About to have a goatskin G-1 USN jacket made & need to decide on hide thickness.

I've owned originals in the past and the hide thickness (jacket weight seemed to vary).

Living in the UK we have for several years now experienced warmer temperatures pretty much year round in the South West.

Whats the thinnest I should go hide wise do you think? 1 mm is the thinnest hide on offer. I want a light weight but usable jacket.

Regards Lee
 

Flightengineer

Well-Known Member
Hi Lee,
My LW Foster G-1 from 1956 (this G-1 for which you once helped with advice to find a replacement muton some yaers ago as you may be remember) has a thickness of 1 mm (I just especially for you measured it with a caliper).
So in 1956 there was a thin goatskin on these jackets. It weighs only 1.3 kg (Brill G-1 issued in 1968 is made from a thicker goatskin and weighs 1.6 kg already).
This Foster is the lightest and undoubtedly one of the most comfy of my leather jackets.
So with 1mm you won’t be mistaken.

Regards.
 

bn1966

Well-Known Member
Hi Lee,
My LW Foster G-1 from 1956 (this G-1 for which you once helped with advice to find a replacement muton some yaers ago as you may be remember) has a thickness of 1 mm (I just especially for you measured it with a caliper).
So in 1956 there was a thin goatskin on these jackets. It weighs only 1.3 kg (Brill G-1 issued in 1968 is made from a thicker goatskin and weighs 1.6 kg already).
This Foster is the lightest and undoubtedly one of the most comfy of my leather jackets.
So with 1mm you won’t be mistaken.

Regards.

Thanks for doing that for me, much appreciated. looks like it could be 1 mm then :)
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Thanks for doing that for me, much appreciated. looks like it could be 1 mm then :)
Hi
Earlier m-422 jackets and G-1 jackets were made with the thinner goat hides and they really age well over time . Here’s a couple of photos of a Pritzker and a WWII Willis & Geiger M-422 for your review .
Cheers
E1FCFE96-7E66-4955-B5D3-9A418C13DB82.jpeg
F07336D9-80F6-406B-9D72-FCDBD557AB3A.jpeg
 

bn1966

Well-Known Member
Thanks Guys :)

I didn't know if 1 mm was pushing it too far, seemingly not which is great.

My first ever proper jacket at 18 was a 60's Goat G-1 that I lived in until it really didn't fit anymore..aiming to loosely replicate that jacket but with earlier period tweaks running into hints of a M-422A..I'm past 'accuracy' these days & don't want to pay the $$$$$$$

Going to match a 1 mm Seal goatskin then with red / rust wool 'Rib N Rack', rust mouton, an original NOS G-1 Conmar zipper, MASH buttons & cotton lining (said I'm not bothered by accuracy).

Will post pics up on successful completion (mid-late June 2020 hopefully)

Lee
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Thanks Guys :)

I didn't know if 1 mm was pushing it too far, seemingly not which is great.

My first ever proper jacket at 18 was a 60's Goat G-1 that I lived in until it really didn't fit anymore..aiming to loosely replicate that jacket but with earlier period tweaks running into hints of a M-422A..I'm past 'accuracy' these days & don't want to pay the $$$$$$$

Going to match a 1 mm Seal goatskin then with red / rust wool 'Rib N Rack', rust mouton, an original NOS G-1 Conmar zipper, MASH buttons & cotton lining (said I'm not bothered by accuracy).

Will post pics up on successful completion (mid-late June 2020 hopefully)

Lee
If I could suggest one thing?
I would ask this question of Dave Shelley AKA Maverickson before I ordered anything.
No body except maybe John Chapman is more knowledgeable of USN Jackets than that man. He will tell you the limits of thickness
the hide should be for jackets of various contracts. He's a Wizard!
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
funny you should mention it. I have a first contract star g-1 that was originally fitted with red russet knits. not replacements, they are original to the jacket. must have been a batch made that readcted to minimal sunlight, as I have seen a few more like mine. super uncommon, but they do show up once in a blue moon.
 

bn1966

Well-Known Member
I like contrast, so seal hide, rust mouton & rusty red knits should satisfy.

Would be great if Maverickson chimed in with his thoughts on 1 mm hide, the lighter the better that I can get away with :)
 
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