HH Finish Now and Then

[dmar836]

We discuss aging , breaking in, and debate original-looking HH on repros all the time. Then how to achieve this quickly and authentically on our modern repos.

Some period photos of A-2s have jackets that look shiny and new, others show jackets that look pebbled, wrinkled, etc. Though some hides aged quickly, it is likely few were cut from wrinkled and beaten looking hides. Now, wearing a jacket in all conditions for 2-3 years might cause this but it is interesting none the less. I think we'd all agree, nothing but use and time will give the perfect look.

This RoughWear (27752) unfortunately had the name tag and squadron patch removed before I bought it. What is underneath the name tag is quite interesting. Look at the following photos and, with the exception of a few vertical wrinkles, note the surface finish of the HH where it was protected by the name tag.

Here's an overall with the grain and wrinkling we love to see.

Now here's close to what it must have looked like when issued.

Now go see if you can find some examples of your own and maybe post some interesting aging examples for us to learn from.

Dave

 

[Robman]

Good point, the underneath the nametag section shows a much smoother and darker appearance.

 

[majormajor1]

The "weathering" we know and love is usually caused by just that - the weather.

I guess what we are seeing here is a small area protected from all the rain, etc., that the rest of the jacket has seen.

Excellent jacket, BTW

 

[Roughwear]

It's interesting to see this section of box fresh leather. It is very similar to to the condition of the hh on my mint originals.

The accumulated wear to A2s which gives that sought-after patina, is the result of not just the weather (sunshine, rain, temperature change etc..) but abrasion from inside an aircraft, continued touching of the jacket when taken on and off as well as contact with beer in an English pub or the odd fleck of paint when worn to paint a house or fence after the war! :lol:

 

[Doug C]

can you get a good flashed picture of deep into the bottom of the pockets of that jacket? I'd like to see.

 

[dmar836]

Doug, Sorry for the belated pic. Here's the inside of the pocket. It appears to me that the "stabilizing" of the tag stitching over such a small area did much more than just shelter form the elements.

Dave

 

[herk115]

Just to play devil's advocate here, but you don't suppose that area was originally rough and grainy like the rest of the jacket but was smoothed out by the pressure of the name tag over the years? Just a thought.

 

[dmar836]

I think that's a very big part of it. Although I also don't believe it left the factory with the heavy graining that shows elsewhere and that so many repros try to imitate right off the board. I guess the question is, how smooth was the finish when it was issued?
I think, like you and probably most others, the pressure along with the relatively small tag size created almost complete stability from creasing/movement. Also, as the leather shrank, it could have actually stretched slightly in that small area.
Thanks for the input. Good stuff.
Dave