New Horsehide at Goodwear

[CBI]

No one has really posted anything about this yet but just in case folks don't know.......John Chapman is getting new high quality horsehide from Japan that he says is AMAZING - best hide he has ever had. If you go to the Goodwear site, there are a few photos. If you go to the list of photos page, there is a great looking Aero (June 2009) that looks just fantastic. With this new hide, John is swamped with orders/back orders but I think based on the photos and his comments, GW will certainly be the "Gold Standard" in repros (for me its the case anyway). Yes, other manufacterers have good things about thier products (politically correct line to avoid the past Goodwear wars). Just wanted to mention this as I would have thought it would be a hot topic by now. I plan to purchase a few jackets after the current flurry of activity at GW. Yes, they will cost a little more. I think it great that John keeps setting the bar higher - congrats!

21996_06_46/

 

[Vcruiser]

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/gw ... ages3.html

 

[greyhound52]

Yes I got a sample of it and it is amazing stuff. I think the RW he did in it looks incredible. Of course the price went up for this HH but I think it is worth it and still puts him in the range of ELC, RMNZ, THE FEW, and Buzz Rickson (which in most cases is more expensive).

 

[TankBuster]

That's definitely the best I've seen yet. The sample jacket truly
appears to be a NOS original. The graining on the pockets is
killer.

 

[jack aranda]

I will be there next Thursday to view them in person. I hope my heart holds out

 

[havocpaul]

Very nice graining, I've seen similar looking hide on various BR jackets previously (interestingly they imported their HH from Italy whereas GW have from Japan!). I would like to see less gloss/shine on it, there must be a way of matting it down a bit as it looks like it's had a heavy dose of Pecards.

 

[CBI]

there are a few others in the large directory that don't have the shine. I think its just the photo and there is not as much shine on the real thing. One of the new civi moto jackets is also with the new HH however that one as well as the one seen on the link on this thread are actually heavier weight HH from the same company John was given to at least do some test jackets. The new stock HH looks the same but not as heavy a leather.

 

[269sqnhudson]

That's genuinely not dissimilar to my ELC Star I took delivery of earlier this month, just a tad lighter. The Star has the same really nice wrinkling on certain panels and a really good authentic look without seeming deliberate or forced. I'll have to post some pics, it's nothing like my other ELCs.
Tom

 

[havocpaul]

be very interested in seeing your ELC Star pics....Eastman have been very quiet so far this year in so much as no new jackets other than the across-the-range 'Time-Worn' option....did you ask for that with your Star?

 

[greyhound52]

Very nice graining, I've seen similar looking hide on various BR jackets previously (interestingly they imported their HH from Italy whereas GW have from Japan!). I would like to see less gloss/shine on it, there must be a way of matting it down a bit as it looks like it's had a heavy dose of Pecards.

Paul,
Having a sample of the new HH it does not shine at all. So must be the photo.

 

[havocpaul]

I stand corrected then, maybe flash was used in the pics. On the subject of photos by the main repro makers, I don't think any of the manufacturers get the best images of their jackets, John's look best when he models them as that is what a buyer is looking for: what it will look like when worn. His are still the best overall but some look too 'samey' draped on the tailor's bust. His close-ups are good but some of the other makers really don't promote their products well at all (Aero and RMNZ in particular). I also note the new price of the horsehide jackets...$900 which at current exchange rates is very expensive for UK buyers especially....yes, I am sure worth every cent but 'ouch'!

 

[watchmanjimg]

I also note the new price of the horsehide jackets...$900 which at current exchange rates is very expensive for UK buyers especially....yes, I am sure worth every cent but 'ouch'!

I definitely sympathize, but owning or having owned jackets by Aero, ELC, and The Few as well as Goodwear I have to say that you really owe it to yourself to give John a tumble. Besides, consider how much more the Buzz Rickson and Few jackets cost new. Any GW is a bargain by comparison!

 

[havocpaul]

I've had a GW although an early test jacket, I have always thought The Few jackets are way over-priced and lack accuracy, but the £ needs to improve drastically before I could run to $950 for any repro.

 

[buzzthetower]

Finish shine. So, the jackets in WWII did have a certain amount of shine, in variance, and I think the new horsehide is quite accurate if put in context.

I've taken two of the photos and converted them to black and white using Photoshop (no other filters were applied). The finish now looks even, if not a bit dull, in comparison with those of the WWII jackets. My hope is to make the jackets as much as possible like those of WWII, and I think this is relatively close...

WWII images from Life Magazine:

I won't even compare the new horsehide with the Doolittle Raider photos...it definitely doesn't have enough shine in comparison with those jackets.

The leather has a dry feel to the finish, and none of the waxy-feeling moistness that leather has after Pecards treatment.

Thanks,
John

 

[Andrew]

Love it love it- it is indeed beautiful stuff and I would ike to get one in this hide someday, but I have say that right now I am also loving the way John's year old seal aniline coated HH is wearing- especially on a cold day when the leather is a little stiff and you get areas of flat beside crumpled and the top coat is gradually wearing away- it's just fantastic.

I also love the sleeve shape on this new one.

 

[handworn]

It does look glittery, something I mentioned to John when he told me about it (though he hasn't responded to my email). Perhaps before he reaches my order in line I'll ask him for a sample of it and of the Vermont Espresso, my current preference. Anyone have both, to compare for us?

 

[buzzthetower]

Will get back to you with photos that compare both leathers, and their very different properties. I wanted to get a couple jackets done first so I had an idea of the differences.

J

 

[Chandler]

WWII images from Life Magazine:

Holy cow -- I love this shot. The hide on that forward jacket looks just like my ELC Star -- the folds, the grain and the (apparent) thickness of the hide. I should attempt a similar image to compare.

Chandler

 

[CBI]

John - I LOVE that Aero. Looking forward to seeing one in my closet sometime soon.

 

[269sqnhudson]

be very interested in seeing your ELC Star pics....Eastman have been very quiet so far this year in so much as no new jackets other than the across-the-range 'Time-Worn' option....did you ask for that with your Star?

No I didnt, just the regular type.