Most highly regarded leather grain?

[taikonaut]

...overly squared off, perfectly straight unrealistic details and they'll be on their way! Give 'em another 10 years...

I don't see any 'overly squared off, perfectly straight and unrealistic details' in the above photograph. And nor should you. It's a photo of an original jacket, a Monarch, not an Eastman. I think you just jumped to the wrong conclusion.

I thought hide wise it look good, as it turns out yours was original.
I did guess the pocket as repro looking so I hold my hand up in error. Must admit this is the first time I saw the pocket near the seams dont show graining up on an original.

 

[Grant]

Tranquility,
Thanks for the good laugh. Very funny!
BTW, thanks for posting the photo of my old Monarch.

Grant

 

[Chandler]

You did say your Star was grainy.

That I did. Have a look at the photo gallery.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=760

Chandler

 

[Chandler]

Yeah its beautiful ain't it?

Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder.

Chandler

 

[Chandler]

are you sure that's not elephant?

White Rhino? :shock:

Chandler

 

[Chandler]

Actually that's not exactly true- I bought an A-2 in 1980 or '81 that was "new in the box"- a Perry.

Not to be overly-skeptical, but naturally curious, my questions run to: what was the authentication on said NIB? What was the year of manufacture? I can imagine the hides changing in quality over the time of production, war years especially. And how do we not know time has effected the hide - worn or not (as you speculate). And not to pick nits, but 1980 isn't exactly 1940.

AFA "drapey" hides in images, we've seen all sorts of fit and drape of A-2s from the time they were issued to today. There's too much variability in 70+ years to put into play.

Nonetheless, I'd like to see images of the jacket and box for study -- do you still have the piece?

Chandler

 

[Chandler]

I think you're right- most repro makers since the 90's think their customers want smooth- I think Eastman had alot to do with that... "Eastman!" (said like Jerry Seinfeld saying "Newman!"...

Actually, I've seen an 80s Eastman jacket that had some definite graininess too it, but I'd heard that most people buying jackets at the time, spending $500 or so, complained about so much grain - paying premium price for what looked like a POS (even tho' the grain on this piece wasn't at all out of hand IMO, but I didn't see all the jackets from that day). Might be why there were so many smoother jackets out there for a while.

Chandler

 

[airfrogusmc]

I do find it so funny how all the eastmanites come out of the wood work trying to discredit any one that comes up with a decent alternative.

Chandler I will take the word and the opinion of a man thats handled, collected and sold hundreds of originals over a guy thats maybe handled a dozen (by his own admission) any day. And then theres my own observations seeing and handling originals right next to the repros of the same contracts. I don't know why your panties are all in a bunch anyway because Eastman doesn't make a Dubow.

Grain, fit, details varied on originals. But there are some repro makers that do make there jackets to heavy, to smooth and cut their jackets wrong for ease of production. Things like collars cut wrong, arm holes to low or to large, etc. If you want 100% authentic buy and wear originals. Otherwise find a maker that fits your needs. But don't get your back all up when a someone comes along and starts paying attention to the little details...

 

[Chandler]

I don't know why your panties are all in a bunch anyway because Eastman doesn't make a Dubow.

For such a tough guy, you really got a thing for panties. First off, why would anyone be looking to "discredit" anyone around here, it's all just talk and speculation over an interest -- until they start a major at the local University on Vintage Flight Jacket Recognition, we're all just hobbyists. Second, I'm not irritated, angry, upset, or whiny in any way -- that would be a waste of valuable time over a hobby. Lastly, I'm no Eastmanite, I just like my Star quite a bit. I'll post some images of my FS Goat too, nice hide on that one - probably my second favorite.

Grain, fit, details varied on originals.

Nice of you to finally agree with what a lot of us have been saying all along - talk about details.

Chandler

 

[shanghai joe]

Ok gw can only get better.........who knows the other repro makers may up their ante to match the new kiddo on the block.

10 years is a loooooong time: will be interesting who the dinosaurs were and how many will be left standing...........2018 here we wait!

 

[shanghai joe]

panties? the only way for a man to wear it.........over his head.......

breathe deeeeeeeeeply...........aaaaaaaah :twisted:

 

[airfrogusmc]

I don't know why your panties are all in a bunch anyway because Eastman doesn't make a Dubow.

For such a tough guy, you really got a thing for panties. First off, why would anyone be looking to "discredit" anyone around here, it's all just talk and speculation over an interest -- until they start a major at the local University on Vintage Flight Jacket Recognition, we're all just hobbyists. Second, I'm not irritated, angry, upset, or whiny in any way -- that would be a waste of valuable time over a hobby. Lastly, I'm no Eastmanite, I just like my Star quite a bit. I'll post some images of my FS Goat too, nice hide on that one - probably my second favorite.

Grain, fit, details varied on originals.

Nice of you to finally agree with what a lot of us have been saying all along - talk about details.

Chandler

I thought you were the one judging the weight of hide by photographs :? but then ya get defensive when someone gives it back. I've been saying that theres allot of variables all along. For years as a matter of fact. First they REPROS. If I could find originals in my size (affordable) that would fit I would own them. I would still probably own a repro or two.

SJ AAHHHHH yes the sweet smell of success :lol: :lol: It will be interesting to see who the players are in ten years and the products they are producing.

 

[Chandler]

I thought you were the one judging the weight of hide by photographs :? but then ya get defensive when someone gives it back.

No, I never said I based my research solely on photographs, ever. I've seen my share of originals, mentioned it before.

And for the record, I never got "defensive" in any way, I only started this whole discussion with some simple questions, you brought up the angst over discredit. I'm a hobbyist, have admitted all along that I'm no expert, just not a blind believer of every other "expert" on the internet.

Read Shakespeare at all? Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

Chandler.

 

[Swing]

It will be interesting to see who the players are in ten years and the products they are producing.

Do you really think there will be a market for these jackets in 10 years? Prices have nearly doubled since I got into higher end repros back in '96 or '97. In ten years when an A-2 runs $1500 to $2000 do you think there will be enough market for any of the current jacket makers to survive?

~Swing

 

[Swing]

I thought you were the one judging the weight of hide by photographs

Actually Allen, you are the one that brought photos up first in this thread. And while you now say "I've said all along there was variation" the whole conversation started because of the generality you made when you stated "Yep...Its thin just like most originals". And when you were questioned on that generality, you were the one that got defensive.

I swear, I think half the time you post just to see your name on the screen, and don't remember what you said from one post to the next (even though most of the time you're just repeating the same shit over and over).

~Swing

 

[shanghai joe]

where's the plot?????

this started off on grain under vintage but somehow lost it's destination.........

 

[airfrogusmc]

It will be interesting to see who the players are in ten years and the products they are producing.

Do you really think there will be a market for these jackets in 10 years? Prices have nearly doubled since I got into higher end repros back in '96 or '97. In ten years when an A-2 runs $1500 to $2000 do you think there will be enough market for any of the current jacket makers to survive?

~Swing

Good question.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I thought you were the one judging the weight of hide by photographs

Actually Allen, you are the one that brought photos up first in this thread. And while you now say "I've said all along there was variation" the whole conversation started because of the generality you made when you stated "Yep...Its thin just like most originals". And when you were questioned on that generality, you were the one that got defensive.

I swear, I think half the time you post just to see your name on the screen, and don't remember what you said from one post to the next (even though most of the time you're just repeating the same sh*t over and over).

~Swing

AAHHH lil swing I remember you sweetheart...

Most origianls were on the thinner side and you know it. Grainy to...

And speak'n of shit it constantly rolls out your keyboard....

 

[Roughwear]

Having handled many originals I repros I think it is unwise to generalise about the thinness or otherwise of originals. In my current collection the only jackets which have a thinnish hide are my Poughkeepsie and David D Doniger. The other nine are on a par with many high end repros. There was considerable variation not just between makers but within the same contract. For instance one of my United Sheeplined A2s is made of thick hide, whilst the other is thinner.

 

[Swing]

AAHHH lil swing I remember you sweetheart...

Most origianls were on the thinner side and you know it. Grainy to...

And speak'n of sh*t it constantly rolls out your keyboard....

And try as I might to forget you Allen, you pop up in every thread.

I know most originals were thinner? This is news to me. I know I prefer a thinner weight A-2, simply for ease of break in and drape. But as I mentioned, there were over 1 million A-2s made. I'd be hesitant to use the worst "most" when discussing them.

Funny how things change. 9 years ago at the Deja forums, people bitched about how light ELC's leather was. Aero's heavy cardboard jackets became all the rage four or five years ago. I don't know how many times we had to see pictures of and hear about how great your drum rolled RM Werber was Allen (even though I had one too, and it's leather was better suited to a baseball glove than an A-2). And now we are back were we started, with light weight jackets, but now they are "right" because they came off the stretched out belly of a cow or old nag. :roll:

~Swing