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Newbie question re ``Warhorse,'' ``Liberty,'' ``Vicenza'' weights.

Showerfan

Active Member
My ELC Roughwear in Warhorse is a beautiful hide. I literally wanted to wrap myself up in it and get married. To it.

But it was suprisingly thin and lightweight. Seriously, when people say it feels almost paper-like, I now understand. Is that the same with BK's Liberty hide, and Aero's Vicenza?

In Gary Eastman's book it says the gov't ordered 3 oz. hides for the A-2, but I have a 3 oz. FQHH Highwayman that feels SO MUCH HEAVIER than the Warhorse RW.

Are they all going to be this light?

Signed,
First-Time A-2 Buyer
 

mulceber

Moderator
Others can probably give you more informed feedback, but I will say that Liberty Horsehide feels significantly heavier and thicker to me. Still not as heavy as Badalassi cowhide, but it's definitely thicker than Warhorse.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
My ELC Roughwear in Warhorse is a beautiful hide. I literally wanted to wrap myself up in it and get married. To it.

Know the feeling! Ask for some hide samples....might take a while. Not wise to just splash the cash on a whim, without doing any research...

Plenty of input will be coming your way. Older ELC hides were heavier, however, less grainy.. Aero hides are really robust. And in the Platon days at BK you could pick your hide and select which parts of the hide went where on your jacket. My BK (Platon) Werber was made the way I wanted it. Smoother here, more grain there. Loved the collaborative approach and the work he put in sourcing the HBT lining too....

I have purchased particular contracts more than once from the same manufacturers. And some jackets eclipsed others.

It's an endless road you are about to start walking!
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
My ELC Roughwear in Warhorse is a beautiful hide. I literally wanted to wrap myself up in it and get married. To it.

But it was suprisingly thin and lightweight. Seriously, when people say it feels almost paper-like, I now understand. Is that the same with BK's Liberty hide, and Aero's Vicenza?

In Gary Eastman's book it says the gov't ordered 3 oz. hides for the A-2, but I have a 3 oz. FQHH Highwayman that feels SO MUCH HEAVIER than the Warhorse RW.

Are they all going to be this light?

Signed,
First-Time A-2 Buyer
When I first got into A2 jackets I thought they were pretty thinly made as well. I soon learned that the jacket was actually designated as a Summer Flying Jacket . The troops used it in all sorts of weather including snow , but it was a lightweight summer jacket.
 

Showerfan

Active Member
That's for sure. I also have an order in with Aero -- trying to decide which contract (leaning towards the 15142 -- seems the most Aero) and which leather (probably the Vicenza).
 

Nickb123

Well-Known Member
That redyed GW Monarch I own, however, is an exception. I think it was made from a lightweight horween hide of some variety.
 

2BM2K

Well-Known Member
In Gary Eastman's book it says the gov't ordered 3 oz. hides for the A-2, but I have a 3 oz. FQHH Highwayman that feels SO MUCH HEAVIER than the Warhorse RW.

Gary Eastman's book has scans of original leather specifications and test documents which state that the thickness of the leather (goatskin, cow and horse hide) should be between 0.025 and 0.045 inches. This equates to 0.635mm to 1.143mm.

The vast majority of repro jacket will have leather that is too thick. Even 1.2mm is too thick. The ELC jackets will be about right.
 

Flightengineer

Well-Known Member
I would never say that the Warhorse is paper-thin. My ELC Star is made of fairly thick leather. This is not armor horsehide leather as from Lost Worlds, but not thin. Size 40 jacket weighs 1.5 kg
My jacket is already several years old, maybe Eastman now uses thinner leather, but this is unlikely.

Who have an original in size 40 - it would be interesting to know its weight.
 

Showerfan

Active Member
Most comments indicating Eastman does now uses thinner leather. My Warhorse RW is the thinnest leather jacket I’ve ever had, but that makes sense, as they are jackets like the Aero Highwayman and SB Tailgunner.

I’m glad to have this beautiful, summer-weight A-2. But i hope the others I’ve ordered come in a little sturdier. Maybe a little closer to the original 3 oz. specification. 1.2 mm sounds right to me.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
I threw on My ELC Monarch and jumped on the scales. 87.0kgs. Switched to the BR RW 18091. 87.0kgs. Both 42s. Touchy scales to boot...
 
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