B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Hey Guys 
I’m hanging out at home again today as many of us are these days, hoping that the Covid thing passes us all by and that all of us come out on the other side of this mess together . As I sit here, I was thinking that as the Vintage Leather Jacket Forum, we haven’t had a lot of “Vintage” lately. So I thought why not post a piece for those guys who may be considering purchasing an original A2 sometime in the future. I’ve been very fortunate to have had access to buying a few originals during my lifetime and while it was always great to hunt down a mint jacket or one with a great history or provenance, there are some things one should consider before venturing into that minefield. Yes ... minefield! Why do I use that term? Well to offer an analogy, buying an original jacket, particularly from someone you may not know or through the internet, without actually having the jacket in hand and examining it, is fraught with potential problems. It’s a little like stepping into the center of a big puddle. You don’t know how deep the puddle is, it could be six inches deep or it could be three feet deep, you just don’t know until your in there and by then it’s too late. Similarly, with an original, you don’t know what needs to be repaired or changed out, if the lining needs to be replaced or if the jacket has the dreaded red rot disease. This is particularly true of US Sheepskin jackets like the B-3, D-1, and B-6 jackets. When these jackets were made they were finished with an acrylic top coat that was there to help weatherize and protect the hides, but these jackets were only made to last a limited time, a few years at most . Certainly not 80 years and as a result the top coats have dried out and cracked the sheepskin hides, causing dry rot and sections that tear and fall apart with little or no use .
So now you’re in a situation where you’ve spent a considerable amount for the jacket and additional cash is going to be required to salvage the jacket and make it wearable. That’s the minefield!
Original A2 jackets also have a number of potential problem areas but overall they are easier to fix and deal with. Usually an original without any dry rot, ( that’s a big concern) with heavy use, will only require in most cases the knits, a zip and maybe the lining to be changed out . If you take your time and do some research and look at several different photos of the jacket from various angles you can avoid stepping on those mines. Now for those of you like myself, who were blessed with absolutely no discernible or useful talents and cannot turn on a light switch, let alone operate an electric sewing machine, that puddle is going to be a little deeper for you guys. You’re going to have to find a “skilled” repair specialist who understands the significance of what he is being asked to restore. A few years ago someone was recommended to me as a skilled craftsmen who could repair any leather jacket. So before I shipped my jacket off to this person to be repaired,( I think it was an original M-422a) I sent this person numerous photos of the jacket and asked them how they planned to fix those areas that needed repair . Their response sent me into a panic. I was told that the best way to fix the jacket was to cut out the entire back section of the jacket and replace it with new goatskin and to change the zipper into a current day YKK zip, and then I would have a new looking jacket that I could wear daily . I was sooo happy that I had interviewed this person to find out how they were planning to “ repair” my original WWII artifact . As it turned out this person didn’t have a clue of the historic or financial value of the jacket he was about to destroy. So you have to do your homework and find a knowledgeable person who knows the value of what he’s about to take apart and restore. You should also be prepared to shower that person with cash, lots of it, because people who have that knowledge and skill don’t come cheaply . Yes .. for those of you who are keeping track that’s another mine in the mine field
Now there’s one more thing that I’d like to point out regarding original jackets . They were made during wartime, when the main concerns weren’t “does the jacket fit well?”,
“Are the pockets aligned properly?”, “Is one side of the collar longer than the other?”
No guys .... these were not the concerns of the day . For example many of the original jackets I own have flaws that are unique to wartime production . They have pockets that are 1 or 2 inches higher than the other. Collars that have one side longer than the other. sleeves that are 1 inch longer than the other.
Mistakes so glaring that if you wanted the most accurate wartime repro you could find on the face of the earth and your new jacket arrived with any of these screw ups , you’d be pissed off and demand your money back . But that’s what you have to deal with when considering buying an original A2 jacket. Originals are not for everyone . You have to remember that after 80 years the components and materials of original jackets are tired. They’ve become weakened with age. The thread has dried and tears more often than repros . The hides have deep folds and creases from storage and have weakened considerably over time . Daily wear of an original requires a certain amount of care when getting in and out of vehicles or hanging your jacket on a hanger or coat hook . They are not like our repros that we try to abuse and beat the piss out of to get that “ been there, done that” look. The bottom line to this post is that originals are not for everyone, and they shouldn’t be . They have a history, they have a story to tell, they are limited in numbers just like the veterans who wore them and we are losing more of them everyday . They can’t be replaced .. ever . So keep that in mind when wearing and handling an original jacket. I try to wear my originals on a very limited bases and keep them preserved for their next caretaker after me . So that’s my advice . Please feel free to add your own personal stories to this as well as photos of your original flight jackets . I’ll leave you with a few photos of originals for those of you who would like to see them .
Cheers
Burt
I’m hanging out at home again today as many of us are these days, hoping that the Covid thing passes us all by and that all of us come out on the other side of this mess together . As I sit here, I was thinking that as the Vintage Leather Jacket Forum, we haven’t had a lot of “Vintage” lately. So I thought why not post a piece for those guys who may be considering purchasing an original A2 sometime in the future. I’ve been very fortunate to have had access to buying a few originals during my lifetime and while it was always great to hunt down a mint jacket or one with a great history or provenance, there are some things one should consider before venturing into that minefield. Yes ... minefield! Why do I use that term? Well to offer an analogy, buying an original jacket, particularly from someone you may not know or through the internet, without actually having the jacket in hand and examining it, is fraught with potential problems. It’s a little like stepping into the center of a big puddle. You don’t know how deep the puddle is, it could be six inches deep or it could be three feet deep, you just don’t know until your in there and by then it’s too late. Similarly, with an original, you don’t know what needs to be repaired or changed out, if the lining needs to be replaced or if the jacket has the dreaded red rot disease. This is particularly true of US Sheepskin jackets like the B-3, D-1, and B-6 jackets. When these jackets were made they were finished with an acrylic top coat that was there to help weatherize and protect the hides, but these jackets were only made to last a limited time, a few years at most . Certainly not 80 years and as a result the top coats have dried out and cracked the sheepskin hides, causing dry rot and sections that tear and fall apart with little or no use .
So now you’re in a situation where you’ve spent a considerable amount for the jacket and additional cash is going to be required to salvage the jacket and make it wearable. That’s the minefield!
Original A2 jackets also have a number of potential problem areas but overall they are easier to fix and deal with. Usually an original without any dry rot, ( that’s a big concern) with heavy use, will only require in most cases the knits, a zip and maybe the lining to be changed out . If you take your time and do some research and look at several different photos of the jacket from various angles you can avoid stepping on those mines. Now for those of you like myself, who were blessed with absolutely no discernible or useful talents and cannot turn on a light switch, let alone operate an electric sewing machine, that puddle is going to be a little deeper for you guys. You’re going to have to find a “skilled” repair specialist who understands the significance of what he is being asked to restore. A few years ago someone was recommended to me as a skilled craftsmen who could repair any leather jacket. So before I shipped my jacket off to this person to be repaired,( I think it was an original M-422a) I sent this person numerous photos of the jacket and asked them how they planned to fix those areas that needed repair . Their response sent me into a panic. I was told that the best way to fix the jacket was to cut out the entire back section of the jacket and replace it with new goatskin and to change the zipper into a current day YKK zip, and then I would have a new looking jacket that I could wear daily . I was sooo happy that I had interviewed this person to find out how they were planning to “ repair” my original WWII artifact . As it turned out this person didn’t have a clue of the historic or financial value of the jacket he was about to destroy. So you have to do your homework and find a knowledgeable person who knows the value of what he’s about to take apart and restore. You should also be prepared to shower that person with cash, lots of it, because people who have that knowledge and skill don’t come cheaply . Yes .. for those of you who are keeping track that’s another mine in the mine field
Now there’s one more thing that I’d like to point out regarding original jackets . They were made during wartime, when the main concerns weren’t “does the jacket fit well?”,
“Are the pockets aligned properly?”, “Is one side of the collar longer than the other?”
No guys .... these were not the concerns of the day . For example many of the original jackets I own have flaws that are unique to wartime production . They have pockets that are 1 or 2 inches higher than the other. Collars that have one side longer than the other. sleeves that are 1 inch longer than the other.
Mistakes so glaring that if you wanted the most accurate wartime repro you could find on the face of the earth and your new jacket arrived with any of these screw ups , you’d be pissed off and demand your money back . But that’s what you have to deal with when considering buying an original A2 jacket. Originals are not for everyone . You have to remember that after 80 years the components and materials of original jackets are tired. They’ve become weakened with age. The thread has dried and tears more often than repros . The hides have deep folds and creases from storage and have weakened considerably over time . Daily wear of an original requires a certain amount of care when getting in and out of vehicles or hanging your jacket on a hanger or coat hook . They are not like our repros that we try to abuse and beat the piss out of to get that “ been there, done that” look. The bottom line to this post is that originals are not for everyone, and they shouldn’t be . They have a history, they have a story to tell, they are limited in numbers just like the veterans who wore them and we are losing more of them everyday . They can’t be replaced .. ever . So keep that in mind when wearing and handling an original jacket. I try to wear my originals on a very limited bases and keep them preserved for their next caretaker after me . So that’s my advice . Please feel free to add your own personal stories to this as well as photos of your original flight jackets . I’ll leave you with a few photos of originals for those of you who would like to see them .
Cheers
Burt
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