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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 2, 2010 17:18:56 GMT -5
I've been lurking around for a couple of weeks, trying to dig up information on what kind of Indiana Jones jacket I need to get. I got a few of my questions answered in those few weeks of digging, but I've still got plenty, so I'm going to lay them down and hope for some answers. Without boring y'all with unnecessary details, my search through various vendors led to Wested being the final contender left. Out of two weeks of emails sent to them, though, not one has been responded to (it's worth noting that Gibson & Barnes responded in around 8 hours, but they wanted to charge more than the already steep $500 for the extra pocket that Wested lets you get with their custom jackets, so they got knocked out of contention), so to y'all I go. Wested offers a wealth of choices to sift through, and I've never shopped for leather jackets before, so forgive me if I ask too many complicated questions, but I need to get the right jacket for my specific needs so I don't blow $300 on something that isn't right. I'm going to post the same basic questions I tried to ask Wested, though I will edit them where appropriate. I'm not looking for a winter warm-me-up jacket, but one that I can wear year-round, including warm summers, so the jacket and leather type must be suited for this, especially for the consideration that I'll be wearing it even on warmer summer days. I'm also looking for one that has at least two inside pockets. Screen accuracy is a low-priority item, so large pockets and other non-screen accurate details won't bother me. The bigger the pockets, the better. I'd like for both inside pockets to be equipped with zippers. I'm looking for a durable, functional jacket I can wear daily as a part of my regular attire. 1. Looking at Wested's custom made jackets give me four distinct film styles to choose from: Raiders Jacket, Last Crusade Crystal Sculls Jacket, Temple of Doom Jacket, and Custom ROLA Jacket). I want the style that's going to be best suited for my specified needs (the extra inside pocket doesn't seem to be an issue here, since I can choose to have it on any of them). What are the principal differences between these styles? Which one will be best suited for summer wear? And which ones are of better quality? For example, the Temple of Doom Jacket says that several areas are glued and not topstitched, which leaves a negative impression about the quality and durability of the jacket. On the other hand, the Custom ROLA Jacket says, "Unlike the Standard raiders which has slight modification to make it durable and street wearable this 'film jacket' although equally wearable is more lightweight." Does this mean that this jacket will be better suited for warmer weather? Does this also mean that it's less durable than other choices, including the standard Raiders Jacket? What exactly are the differences between them? Which style would have larger pockets? And what purpose do "leather facings" serve? 2. There are seven different skin types to choose from, with availability depending on what jacket is ordered. Authentic Brown Lambskin, Dk Brown Lambskin, Authentic Brown Goat, Authentic Washed Goat, Worn Look Hide, Novapelle Antique Brown, and Brown Horse Hide are the available choices. Which is the best choice for staying comfortable in warmer weather? I saw the thread here (the last post specifically), which made goat, washed or otherwise, fly off of the shopping list. There are also three other hides that the Temple of Doom Jacket description implies are significantly heavier, and the thinking going on in my mind is that heavier=warmer=not good, leaving lamb in its two iterations, and since elementary science teaches us that darker objects absorb more light and have a higher surface temperature, I'm thinking that Authentic Brown Lambskin will ultimately be better than Dk Brown Lambskin or anything else. Once again, though, I need conformation on this, since I may not be giving the other three hides a chance. 3. There are three standard lining types I can get: Cotton Body/ Satin Sleeves, All Cotton, or All Satin, with Nylon being the only choice for the Temple of Doom Jacket. Out of those four combinations, what's best for warmer weather? Havana's last post here convinced me to take the cotton/satin and all satin choices off of my shopping list, but I haven't been able to dig anything up on nylon. Can anybody offer a comparison between all cotton and nylon, and tell me what works best for warmer weather? I loathe the Temple of Doom Jacket's small pockets and the whole glued business, but if a case could be made for nylon being cooler in the summer than cotton, it might just be enough to convince me to go for the Temple of Doom Jacket exclusively for the nylon lining. Otherwise, though, the ToD jacket is in last place out of the four styles. 4. What is the difference between the different side strap choices: With D Rings, With Sliders, D Rings + X Box Stitch, or Sliders + X Box Stitch? I've seen pictures of the various match ups, but I want to know what's recommended for functionality. The post here suggests that D Rings aren't reliable, and judging from pictures I saw of jackets that had the X Box stitching, it looks like it would slightly reinforce the strength of the stitching, so I'm leaning towards the Sliders + X Box Stitch combination, but again, I want some more opinions on the matter, since I still don't know what I'm talking about. 5. The Custom ROLA Jacket offers two different zip types: Nickel No5 and Antique Brass No 5. I can't imagine this having much effect beyond aesthetics, but perhaps one type is more durable, screen accurate with the Indiana Jones films, easier to use, etc. Is one type more durable, less apt to tarnish, etc.? If not, then would the nickel be more screen accurate with Raiders of the Lost ark? That's the direction I'm currently leaning in, but again, I want to know of any possible problems one choice might have. Again, sorry about asking so many questions, but I'm new to this, and I need all the information I can get so I can make the right choice. I'll probably be getting a Wested jacket sometime in the next few months. I also live in the United States of America, so I'm hoping there will be no problems with that. |
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Post by Noah on Apr 4, 2010 14:16:20 GMT -5
There are some bad stories of Wested having bad customer service. But they still make good jackets. The Last Crusade/Crystal Skull jacket has button snaps on the top of the stormflap. Its also a little looser fitting. It probably also has slightly bigger pockets. The Temple of Doom has smaller pockets and hand warmers. I think lambskin might be best for warmer weather. I've heard the cotton body/satin sleeves are good because the satin in the sleeves makes it easier to slide your arms through. If I remember correctly, if you choose lambskin then D-rings should work best. Or maybe sliders, I'll check up on that. Both nickel and brass zippers were used in the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the other films. I'll check up on this to see which would be best. Hope this helped  |
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 4, 2010 16:45:54 GMT -5
There are some bad stories of Wested having bad customer service. But they still make good jackets. Looking at Wested's eBay profile shows that their business isn't as slow as an uninformed person such as myself would think. I imagine Peter and the gang stay pretty busy between fulfilling orders and checking on family (I also found in my lurking that Peter's wife is not in the best of health, so I'm praying that clears up soon). Perhaps they're too swamped, and need to hire some customer service representatives, because I can see how their lack of communication could cost them customers. Of course, I'm pretty patient, and am looking forward to getting a jacket I'll like. The Last Crusade/Crystal Skull jacket has button snaps on the top of the stormflap. Its also a little looser fitting. It probably also has slightly bigger pockets. The Temple of Doom has smaller pockets and hand warmers. Hmmm. Would you say that the Last Crusade style has bigger pockets than even Raiders and ROLA? How about Raiders versus ROLA? And, yeah, I just looked through Wested's pictures, and noticed that the Last Crusade jacket is the only one with the brass-colored buttons on the front of the jacket. I really like those, so that's +1 for the Last Crusade style in my little selection game. However, I still haven't ruled out the ROLA jacket. The Last Crusade jacket is also -1 for the "loose fit" you described because my particular form favors the slimmer ROLA jacket's "80's fit" over a regular or looser fit. Would the ROLA jacket be any cooler in the summer than the other three film styles because it's lighter? I think lambskin might be best for warmer weather. Pretty much the conclusion I came to, but I wanted to make sure that Worn Look Hide, Novapelle Antique Brown, and Brown Horse Hide were given a fair chance. Looks like I'll be getting the regular lambskin unless someone else can vouch for another skin. I've heard the cotton body/satin sleeves are good because the satin in the sleeves makes it easier to slide your arms through. I'm not really worried about the arm sliding thing. My main concern is the warmer weather, and from all of the main reports I've seen, cotton beats satin in that department. My main concern here is cotton or nylon for the warmer weather. If I remember correctly, if you choose lambskin then D-rings should work best. Or maybe sliders, I'll check up on that. Really? I liked the look of the sliders better than D-rings, but if you and a few others can persuade me otherwise and vouch for the D-rings, I might switch my preference around. Both nickel and brass zippers were used in the Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the other films. I'll check up on this to see which would be best. Well, that just made it harder.  Wouldn't it be so much simpler if I could just visit Wested personally?  |
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Post by Kt. Templar on Apr 4, 2010 17:54:48 GMT -5
If you are close enough I'd say definitely visit.
You will gain a lot trying on all the different styles they have in and feeling the leather for yourself.
Do ask for and look inside the jackets for a Union Jack, ones that don't have that are made in India. Nothing wrong with that, but it's nicer to get one made here.
For a Raiders jacket get the rectangular sliders. If you find a jacket in the shop that you like but it has the D-rings, they can change them for you there and then. It is literally a 2 minute job.
Zippers, both the raiders and tod should really have silver zips. Smaller on the Raiders larger on the ToD. LC and CS brass. But only real close viewers would ever know.
I have nylon, satin and cotton lined sleeves, the cotton is better for when it's warmer or more humid. Otherwise there is not a lot of difference. The satin a more luxurious feeling, though may not wear/last as long.
Authentic lambskin is a fantastic leather, soft and supple. BUT it can be a bit shiny as it has a thin acrylic coating on the surface. This will never wear off in normal wear. Only at the edges of leather. Take a look at soft goat, washed goat, novapelle cow and also ask to see the veg tanned washed lamb. It's a custom leather but it has a nice rugged look.
If you want a more durable jacket then look at goat and the Novapelle Cowhide.
Thanks for the info about MrsB.
They seem to have been particularly bad at email communication recently. I know they have had odd spam problems in the past, but it may be happening again.
I always say to people to pick up the phone to them. I've heard of people getting annoyed at lack of emails which seems very passive aggressive to me and may be due to some technical glitch!
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 4, 2010 18:36:59 GMT -5
If you are close enough I'd say definitely visit. You will gain a lot trying on all the different styles they have in and feeling the leather for yourself. Do ask for and look inside the jackets for a Union Jack, ones that don't have that are made in India. Nothing wrong with that, but it's nicer to get one made here. If you'd look at the end of my first post, you'd see that I live in the US. Not exactly walking distance to the workshop. I've never shopped online for any sort of clothing, so I'm in all kinds of new territory here. As for the Union Jack, I've already decided on getting a custom made jacket for a multitude of reasons--concerns of the OTR jackets popping stitches, my non-standard sizing (my jacket size is in the L "long range," making OTR jackets bad fits), and my desire to tailor the options to my liking. It's my understanding that all custom made jackets are made in England. For a Raiders jacket get the rectangular sliders. If you find a jacket in the shop that you like but it has the D-rings, they can change them for you there and then. It is literally a 2 minute job. Right, but Noah suggested D-rings for lambskin, which might cause a conflict if I go for the Raiders style. I'm not aiming for screen accuracy, but for what's going to work best. If sliders are less prone to issue than D-rings, that's going to be my pick, but if it doesn't matter, I just as well to go for screen accuracy. Zippers, both the raiders and tod should really have silver zips. Smaller on the Raiders larger on the ToD. LC and CS brass. But only real close viewers would ever know. Provided no quality issues crop up, I'll go for the nickle zipper, since the ROLA jacket is the only one where I even have a choice. I have nylon, satin and cotton lined sleeves, the cotton is better for when it's warmer or more humid. Otherwise there is not a lot of difference. The satin a more luxurious feeling, though may not wear/last as long. Cotton over nylon... got it. In that case, I'll drop the ToD jacket off of my shopping list. Now it's just a matter of if the ROLA is better for warmer weather, what jacket has the biggest pockets, etc. As another question, would all styles come with inside pockets equipped with zippers, or is that just a ROLA thing? If it is, perhaps I could specifically request for zippers to be in whatever jacket I choose? Authentic lambskin is a fantastic leather, soft and supple. BUT it can be a bit shiny as it has a thin acrylic coating on the surface. This will never wear off in normal wear. Only at the edges of leather. Take a look at soft goat, washed goat, novapelle cow and also ask to see the veg tanned washed lamb. It's a custom leather but it has a nice rugged look. If you want a more durable jacket then look at goat and the Novapelle Cowhide. I'm going for the most summer-worthy skin. Lambskin will be plenty durable for what I've got planned for the jacket. However, would getting Dk Lambskin remove the "shininess"? The shininess probably won't be too annoying, but just in case it is, I want to explore all of my options. Thanks for the info about MrsB. That info is admittedly a bit old, dating back to Peter's post here. For all I know, she may be well after two years, but then again, it may be one of those deals where she's bedfast or something else bad like that. They seem to have been particularly bad at email communication recently. I know they have had odd spam problems in the past, but it may be happening again. I always say to people to pick up the phone to them. I've heard of people getting annoyed at lack of emails which seems very passive aggressive to me and may be due to some technical glitch! I've sent emails to wested@wested.com, gemma@wested.com, and peter@wested.com. I've even played around with capital letters, like Wested@Wested.com and Gemma@Wested.Com, AND sent emails from gmail.com and att.net domains. No response from any address. Again, my speculation is that they're just plain busy, though you're also not the first person I've heard spam filter stories from. That could also be it. In the mean time, I want to thank y'all for spending the time to answer my rather lengthy questions.  |
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Post by Kt. Templar on Apr 4, 2010 19:25:20 GMT -5
I don't think that dark brown will make a lot of difference. The basic lamb and goat have the same coating. It's a protective layer. Ok Mrs B is fine then, I've seen her a few times in the last few months, up and about! D-rings are SA for LC and CS, they can slip really badly with lamb and the thinner leathers. If you go custom you can have any lining you like in any of the jackets. I know someone who has had black cotton in a ToD. Have a little dig around for some of my posts here, I've shown a lamb, horse, cowhide, novapelle cowhide and a washed goat, and soft goat over the years. (Sounds like Animal Farm!). Actually here's one pic...  Washed goat ToD, Novapelle CS, Lamb Raiders. |
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Post by Noah on Apr 4, 2010 19:41:48 GMT -5
D-rings are SA for LC and CS, they can slip really badly with lamb and the thinner leathers. Thats right! I got mixed up. D-rings slip with lamb. So sliders are best with lamb and also SA on Raiders jackets. |
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 4, 2010 19:45:22 GMT -5
I don't think that dark brown will make a lot of difference. The basic lamb and goat have the same coating. It's a protective layer. Alrighty. I've settled on Authentic Lamb as my leather of choice, unless someone can refute my presumption that the three leathers I mentioned before are worse for warmer weather than lamb. Ok Mrs B is fine then, I've seen her a few times in the last few months, up and about! That's a relief.  D-rings are SA for LC and CS, they can slip really badly with lamb and the thinner leathers. Sounds like sliders are my side straps of choice. Now I mainly need to see if X Box Stitch is a good or bad idea. I'm inclined to think good, but again, I don't know if it's a problem spot or not. If you go custom you can have any lining you like in any of the jackets. I know someone who has had black cotton in a ToD. All cotton will be my liner of choice. Have a little dig around for some of my posts here, I've shown a lamb, horse, cowhide, novapelle cowhide and a washed goat, and soft goat over the years. (Sounds like Animal Farm!). Actually here's one pic... Washed goat ToD, Novapelle CS, Lamb Raiders. That looks like the Last Crusade buttons on the third jacket, the Lamb Raiders. Maybe I missed what Noah meant by the LC jacket having buttons on the top of the storm flap. Now all that's left for me to decide, besides whether I want X Box stitching or not, and perhaps what zipper I want on a ROLA, is what film style do I want: Raiders, Last Crusade, or ROLA. How far I've gotten so far: Pocket size: Which jacket has the largest pockets, inside and out? Warm weather comfort: Will ROLA be better than the other two because it's lighter, or are all three the same? Inside pocket zippers: Which jackets have them, and if so, are so equipped on both inside pockets? Inside leather facings: What are these? Are these going to help? What about the extra leather surrounding the inside pockets I've seen in some pictures? Will those help, or are they unnecessary junk? |
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Post by Noah on Apr 4, 2010 20:02:38 GMT -5
The ROLA has a slimmer cut than the standard Raiders. Just to point that out since you said you don't like looser fit too much.
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 4, 2010 20:14:31 GMT -5
Yep. I already mentioned that in the same post where I said I disliked a looser fit. I'm keeping that closely in mind as I come closer to my final specs, which, unsurprisingly, haven't changed any since I started posting here.
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Post by Kt. Templar on Apr 5, 2010 9:31:41 GMT -5
 I personally prefer the non x box version of the side strap. But then again I am not rough with my jackets, some people report having pulled a strap off. Too many doughnuts? or is that spinach?  I've grown to like the inner simpler pockets. When Peter talked about a bigger pocket on the LC jacket, I always took it to mean that one particular jacket had a bigger outer pocket for that one shot when they pulled the diary out of the pocket. But I could be wrong. Essentially the standard raiders and LC outer pockets are pretty similar in size, it's the ToD ones that are particularly smaller. I've never noticed the inner pockets on mine being much different in size between all my jackets. |
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 5, 2010 11:31:58 GMT -5
I don't know. I still like the looks of the x box stitching. The logic going on in my mind is that more stitching=more strength and a lessened likely hood of, as you put it, pulling a strap off.
I like how the piped jacket looks better than the other one, though I can barely spot the zipper on the piped one, whereas the zipper on the other jacket is in plain sight. The piped one looks like it might be harder to use.
As far as pocket size goes, how does the ROLA size compare to the Raiders size? And I'm still wondering about how each style compares to warm weather use.
Now, here comes the trickster--sizing. I already mentioned I run in the L "long" range. My standard sport coat size is 40L. I have a couple of 42Ls. They work, but they are notably looser, and the top button on my two button coats sneaks below my belt, which really looks stupid. Again, they're very wearable, but they're not my favorite coats by any means. Now, here's the deal. I'm still a growing man. I probably don't have much growing left at my stage, but it's one of those "you never know" deals--I could fill out a bit more before it's all said and done, so I need to slightly future proof my coat. The thinking here is if I go ROLA, I should get a 42L. If it's a little too big, the slimmer 80s cut will help counter that, and even if I do fill out a little, I'll still have a nice jacket with a bit of a snug fit, which probably won't bother me. On the other hand, a Last Crusade 42L would certainly sag. I'm thinking I should get a 40L instead if I go that route. When I first get it, it will probably be a bit too loose, but I'll live. However, when I do my last filling out, the fit will be better. Again, I'm just speculating on my thoughts, and am posting mainly to draw suggestions.
Now, it's mainly between the Last Crusade and ROLA jackets, with the Raiders style in a 3rd place of sorts.
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Post by Hemi Joe on Apr 7, 2010 16:50:20 GMT -5
Hey Babuchanan, just thought I'd let you know about my jacket from Wested. I also wanted a good quality, useable leather jacket. As with yourself, the screen accuracy thing wasn't top of the agenda. I went for goat with a cotton lining on the body and satin sleeves. I would say don't discount goat as an option. My jacket is as light as a lamb, but the leather is much tougher. I was in Westeds for about 2 hours, trying on all the different jackets. Peter is a patient fella. I can't as yet vouch for the warm weather comfort ( I live in the UK !! ) I chose a Last Crusade jacket as I liked the more pointed collar and the snaps on the storm flap. Plus with goat you do get a lovely grain to the leather.
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 7, 2010 23:56:26 GMT -5
Thanks, Hemi Joe. Unfortunately, between these three posts on this message board, as well as this post on another message board, and, well, the fact that you haven't ran around in 80°F+ weather, as least from what I gather,... I gotta discount the goat. I'm sure it's some more tougher than lamb, as I'm sure that cow would be a tougher option, but that's not my issue here. I have to make sure this is a summer jacket I can wear as often as possible. If it gets too cold, I'll throw my big overcoat over it. For what I'll put the jacket through, Lambskin will be quite durable enough for me, and what I see from these two threads confirms that for me. And while screen accuracy is the lowest priority item, it's kind of nice to know that Lambskin (or Dk Lambskin, depending on who you ask around here, but it's all shades of brown to me) was the same leather used for the first three movies. Also on that note, I really don't think I'd care as much about the grain of the leather as I would anything else. I'll never hear the end of it if I mess this up and get something that won't work for me. So... at this point, there's only one or two questions left for me. It's between the custom Last Crusade and the custom ROLA (not Raiders). The ROLA description says, "Unlike the Standard raiders which has slight modification to make it durable and street wearable this 'film jacket' although equally wearable is more lightweight." My limited knowledge of leather has already told me that lighter leather skin types means that the jacket will be cooler and less winter worthy. However, besides any choice of leather type, the ROLA jacket is described as being lighter because of its various modifications. Does this, like the leather skin type, translate into being cooler? If so, the ROLA jacket wins, and the only minor quibble I gotta figure out is if I want a brass or nickel zipper. If not, the Last Crusade jacket wins, and I'll have my final specifications ready, besides perhaps sizing. You see, I'm also slightly worried about the ROLA's description of being a "film jacket." This makes me think it's not quite as suited for everyday use, and that it's a little less durable. Also, I like the Last Crusade jacket's big pockets, as well as the snaps on the storm flap. I want my jacket to have everything on it, and the Last Crusade jacket seems to be my avenue to those buttons. So, from someone who has the two styles or other knowledge--is ROLA cooler than the other styles, like Raiders and Last Crusade. |
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Post by Pennsylvania Jones on Apr 8, 2010 13:12:41 GMT -5
Yes, as I can tell from the pics I've seen of it, the ROLA is an awesome jacket. ;D If it's light weight vs. durability you're worried about, go with the Washed Goat. I've heard it's very similar in weight to lamb, while still retaining the durability of goatskin. 'Course, if you don't mind the ease of distressing, go with this hide. P.S. HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT THING WITH THE LINKS??? |
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Post by jnicktem on Apr 8, 2010 13:18:07 GMT -5
Actually, I would go with the soft goat... it is as thin as lamb but as tough as goat. I hear it is a fantastic hide!
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Post by jnicktem on Apr 8, 2010 13:19:05 GMT -5
I have the washed goat... and although I find it to be an awesome leather... it wears too easily. I am worried that in a few more years I might see some holes in the leather.
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Post by Hemi Joe on Apr 8, 2010 15:43:50 GMT -5
Hey Babuchanan, go with the lamb then and I think if you go Last Crusade you won't be disappointed. Mine is LC although I asked for slightly smaller pockets (just an aesthetic thing really as I'm quite stocky - 46" chest - 5' 9" so the body of the jacket is shorter than usual ) My zip is a brass YKK and quite substantial, don't know what gauge tho. It has a nice dull finish, not shiny at all. The silver (nickel?) zips look about the same gauge as the ones on your average Levi's and I wasn't convinced about the strength of them. One thing I'm going to get changed though is the D rings. I wear my jacket every day, like I think you intend to, and when I'm hopping in and out of my truck they slip and eventually come undone. I would advise you to specify sliders and give the D rings a swerve. Hope this helps. |
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Post by Kt. Templar on Apr 8, 2010 15:54:24 GMT -5
The gauge of the zipper is moulded on the back of the pull box. I believe the standard antiqued brass is a no 8, the silver Raiders ones are 4-5 depending on the type. The ToD uses a no 10. I have a LC/CS that has a no 5 brass. I hadn't noticed that before!
The D-rings are the simplest thing in the world to change, all you need is a pair of pliers.
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 8, 2010 16:07:17 GMT -5
Yes, as I can tell from the pics I've seen of it, the ROLA is an awesome jacket. ;D If it's light weight vs. durability you're worried about, go with the Washed Goat. I've heard it's very similar in weight to lamb, while still retaining the durability of goatskin. 'Course, if you don't mind the ease of distressing, go with this hide. P.S. HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT THING WITH THE LINKS??? I'm not really worried about light weight vs. durability, as least with the lambskin. It's ROLA lightweight versus Last Crusade durability that's giving me fits. If I think ROLA will be better for the summer, I'll go with that, but if not, I'll go with Last Crusade. Plus, like I said, I'm worried about the ROLA's description of being a film jacket, and the implication that both the Raiders and Last Crusade jackets are more durable than the ROLA jacket. As for the links, I've been around the message board block more times than I care to admit, so I know how that business works. The Add Tags section, admittedly, doesn't fully disclose how to operate the URL button with the globe and page of paper. You just click it, it drops brackets like {url}{/url}, and lets you be. It makes you think you have to put a URL between the brackets, but that's not the case at all. In fact, typing a URL in plain text automatically formats it like a URL. What you're meant to do is write {url=ht tp://www.google.com/}website{/url}. You can always quote a post to look at the message board formatting. Oh, and { and } represent [ and ]. Hey Babuchanan, go with the lamb then and I think if you go Last Crusade you won't be disappointed. Mine is LC although I asked for slightly smaller pockets (just an aesthetic thing really as I'm quite stocky - 46" chest - 5' 9" so the body of the jacket is shorter than usual ) My zip is a brass YKK and quite substantial, don't know what gauge tho. It has a nice dull finish, not shiny at all. The silver (nickel?) zips look about the same gauge as the ones on your average Levi's and I wasn't convinced about the strength of them. One thing I'm going to get changed though is the D rings. I wear my jacket every day, like I think you intend to, and when I'm hopping in and out of my truck they slip and eventually come undone. I would advise you to specify sliders and give the D rings a swerve. Hope this helps. Yep. Everything I've read says that lambskin and D rings don't make a good combination. And I do intend to wear my jacket everyday. I always wear a sport coat, but I've been thinking about changing my fashion around a bit. My favorite sport coat that I typically wear cost $300 when it was new, basically the price of a custom Wested plus shipping. I'm hoping to take some stress off of it and relegate it to more formal occasions so I can lengthen its life span. |
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Post by Pennsylvania Jones on Apr 8, 2010 17:05:24 GMT -5
Oh. In that case, I can't help you with facts. All I have is the assumption that they use the exact same thickness of leather in the ROLA as the LC. The difference in weight is largely due to the facings on the LC that aren't there in the ROLA. The talk about durability, as I assume, only means that because there are no facings on the ROLA, the lining near the zipper will wear out faster. P.S. OOHHH, I mean, I know how to post links, but now I get the whole picture. Steven |
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 8, 2010 17:26:42 GMT -5
Oh. In that case, I can't help you with facts. All I have is the assumption that they use the exact same thickness of leather in the ROLA as the LC. The difference in weight is largely due to the facings on the LC that aren't there in the ROLA. The talk about durability, as I assume, only means that because there are no facings on the ROLA, the lining near the zipper will wear out faster. Ewww. I'm liking the Last Crusade more and more. I mean, if the ROLA really is cooler, then that's alright, but the Last Crusade is very appealing, even if the ROLA is cooler, and especially if it isn't. Unless someone intervenes on behalf of the ROLA actually being cooler, my final specs are below: Last Crusade/Crystal Sculls Jacket Last Crusade/Crystal Sculls Jacket Jacket Size: 40 Sleeve Length: 25 Back Length: 26 Skin Type: Authentic Brown Lambskin Lining Type: All Cotton Side Straps: Sliders + X Box Stitch Extra Inside Pocket: Yes + £5.00 Name Label (optional): Special Requests. May incur extra charges: If possible, place zippers on both inside pockets. Gussets: Yes -£5.00 Sub Total: $265.86 Delivery: $37.98 Total: $303.84 The pricing is current as of 4-8-2010. Because of the GBP/USD conversion factor, I've noticed these numbers changing in minor amounts from day to day. The total has been between $29# and $304-something any of the number of times I've checked. |
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Post by Pennsylvania Jones on Apr 9, 2010 11:24:49 GMT -5
You said in an earlier post that you disliked a looser fit, which the LC has. So, how about ordering an LC with a slimmer fit like the ROLA/an ROLA with LC details?
Steven
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Post by Biker Jacket Jones on Apr 9, 2010 12:40:30 GMT -5
I looked at the custom Last Crusade jacket form, but I was not made aware of any option to order it with a slimmer fit. Can I specify a ROLA-style 80s fit in the Special Requests section without getting zinged for extra money?
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Post by Hemi Joe on Apr 9, 2010 15:54:19 GMT -5
The gauge of the zipper is moulded on the back of the pull box. I believe the standard antiqued brass is a no 8, the silver Raiders ones are 4-5 depending on the type. The ToD uses a no 10. I have a LC/CS that has a no 5 brass. I hadn't noticed that before! The D-rings are the simplest thing in the world to change, all you need is a pair of pliers. Thanks for that KT. I didn't know the zip gauge is cast into the zip. Just checked mine and it's an 8. |
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