Carl
Well-Known Member
The feel is so much different i think
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Repro or Original?
- Thread starter B-Man2
- Start date
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
Beautiful, it a collar thing
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
I think I'm qualified to answer
I've probably personally owned over 20 A-2s, only 2 were repros, everyone was a wearer, I never babied any, I rarely fixed a busted lining or scabby knit until I passed them on, so it would have to be an original to wear for me, if I was still as into them as I once was.
That's probably why I now "own"just the one A-2 (Nothing to do with the business)
It's repro a made myself nearly 20 years ago. there are pics on VLJ, most if not all of my originals were sold off my back, I only regret selling two of my own jacket, both Contract 1756, the very first A-2 I ever owned 12th AF with unit patch (Never did find out what unit) and another 1756 that I made myself in 1985, just turned out perfect.
I've probably personally owned over 20 A-2s, only 2 were repros, everyone was a wearer, I never babied any, I rarely fixed a busted lining or scabby knit until I passed them on, so it would have to be an original to wear for me, if I was still as into them as I once was.
That's probably why I now "own"just the one A-2 (Nothing to do with the business)
It's repro a made myself nearly 20 years ago. there are pics on VLJ, most if not all of my originals were sold off my back, I only regret selling two of my own jacket, both Contract 1756, the very first A-2 I ever owned 12th AF with unit patch (Never did find out what unit) and another 1756 that I made myself in 1985, just turned out perfect.
stanier
Well-Known Member
Stanier
I completely get what your saying however if I may disagree with you on the existence of flawless examples. I’ve seen several and own three or four of them . So if you could find one then which would you choose
That’s a difficult one B-man2, though clearly pushing money aside helps.
I’ve not seen your jackets, and if I have over the years in other threads I’m not immediately recalling them so please have in mind that my opinions aren’t about those specifically
To the question though, I have seen photos of jackets that the owners are raving about as mint originals, but there always seems to be some issue however minor which to me makes them not really mint in my opinion such as corroded, or dulled snaps, zips and / or dull leather. Then there’s the worry of the state of the stitching in particular then knits and lining.
If I could find a really, really minty original, where somehow I could be assured of its strength, for want of a better word, then if course I would be interested, but then if I wanted to have jacket art applied to it or something else, or wearing it to a club, restaurant or bar, or just actually wearing it, that would be sacrilege wouldn’t it? But with a repro I can just enjoy with no worries!
Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
Only a repro for me. I'm a wearer and not a pure collector. If i want to look at stuff, i go online or to a real museum.
Originals, whatever their condition, should in my opinion only be displayed. They are a piece of history who's condition should be preserved as long as possible.
An A-2 if it is to be worn at all, needs to be worn hard. Can't do that worrying about damaging an original.
I want to wear and do so without a care.
I appreciate others will disagree....
Originals, whatever their condition, should in my opinion only be displayed. They are a piece of history who's condition should be preserved as long as possible.
An A-2 if it is to be worn at all, needs to be worn hard. Can't do that worrying about damaging an original.
I want to wear and do so without a care.
I appreciate others will disagree....
Teddy
Well-Known Member
I'm a repro guy. Originals are great but most are not the best for wearing. Repros tend to be even better in build quality than originals and preserve the design of the original. It's about wearing something and making it mine, and maybe others will find it valuable when it's 40 years old haha
Juanito
Well-Known Member
I am glad you like it--wear it in good health!
blackrat2
Well-Known Member
Perry are fantastic but just a tad short for me
I would love another original and do look at EBay regularly, then life gets in the way and I put it off
I had one original but it just smelt dreadful and that isn’t putting down the conditions it was used under originally
For now it’s my GW Aero
I would love another original and do look at EBay regularly, then life gets in the way and I put it off
I had one original but it just smelt dreadful and that isn’t putting down the conditions it was used under originally
For now it’s my GW Aero
jeremiah
Well-Known Member
stanier
Well-Known Member
Brent
Well-Known Member
Thanks Jon.
Look again at the picture I posted. My BK Star has 1-1/2" added to the length and doesn't fit as well as this. Okay maybe I am being a little bias.
Yep, that's it.
Regards,
Look again at the picture I posted. My BK Star has 1-1/2" added to the length and doesn't fit as well as this. Okay maybe I am being a little bias.
Yep, that's it.
Regards,
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
I must have been being modest, raging torrent would have been more accurate :>)
A-2 is still going strong, drenched again last weekend,...........so is Caley (the dog)
jeremiah
Well-Known Member
So I was thinking about this. Can we be sure there is no repro that feels like what a new issues A2 during the war would have also felt like?
What’s hard is leather changes over the course of its life. As the fibers break down and the skin of the leather is touched by body oils, other oils and similar, this both changed the look and the feel. Sometimes it makes it smoother, other times it can actually make it feel stiffer even though it’s quite pliable.
I don’t think we have too many examples of an A 2 repro that has been through so much as well as time. Maybe Ken’s A2 he uses for dog rescues would be a near example.
I still would love for someone here to try and use descriptors to give me an idea of what a genuine war issued A2 feels like to the touch “now” at least.
What’s hard is leather changes over the course of its life. As the fibers break down and the skin of the leather is touched by body oils, other oils and similar, this both changed the look and the feel. Sometimes it makes it smoother, other times it can actually make it feel stiffer even though it’s quite pliable.
I don’t think we have too many examples of an A 2 repro that has been through so much as well as time. Maybe Ken’s A2 he uses for dog rescues would be a near example.
I still would love for someone here to try and use descriptors to give me an idea of what a genuine war issued A2 feels like to the touch “now” at least.
I guess we will never really know. Most of my originals are a little stiffer feeling though most of those were well used during the war. Perhaps if I wore any of them for a day or two my perception would change. I imagine if I wore one my movements would appear as if I had a book balanced on my head!
Dave
Dave
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
I think it would be difficult to compare the hides, as 75 + years takes its toll on any product, or piece of clothing. Being fortunate enough to own a couple of originals, I have in the past layed them side by side with a quality repro of the same contract . The first thing I noticed particularly with horsehide jackets was that there was noticeably more graining effect in the repro than with an original. My explanation for that is repro makers strive to make their jackets look grainy as they know that’s what sells a jacket. I also noticed that the original jackets that do show heavy graining have, thru testing, been determined to have been those contracts that we now know( as per Eastmans A2 Manuel) predominantly utilized cowhide in the production of that contract. As for the two original goat hide jackets I have, there is a noticeable difference in the quality and thickness of the original jackets as compared to the repro goat hides used today. My G&F M422A is a thinner hide with a more pronounce deeper very nice color goatskin. With one exception , that being a Goatskin GW Perry A2 , I have never found a goat repro jacket that matches up to an original WWII Goatskin. Just my opinion.
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