Leather Jacket Alterations

[HorseHide]

Hi folks

I have a few jackets from the Real McCoys (the horsehide Nelson and an unlined cowhide western jacket) that just don't fit anymore. Both are size 40. Shoulders are fine (as are the arms and arm holes=) but the body of each jacket needs to be trimmed. Alan from Johnson Leathers broke my heart today when he said that they aren't taking any outside work and Dena said this isn't work that she's doing. Any recommendations before they get listed for sale?

 

[BarryMcCockiner_PhD]

Try Carrie at thurston bros, they do alterations but the extent your looking at might be out of scope

 

[jchance]

Cal Leather still does outside work.

 

[photo2u]

Cal Leather still does outside work.

I love Cal leathers BUT, I strongly advice NOT so send them any repair work. I truly hope they do get their act together. I do not like writing this....

 

[photo2u]

Hi folks

I have a few jackets from the Real McCoys (the horsehide Nelson and an unlined cowhide western jacket) that just don't fit anymore. Both are size 40. Shoulders are fine (as are the arms and arm holes=) but the body of each jacket needs to be trimmed. Alan from Johnson Leathers broke my heart today when he said that they aren't taking any outside work and Dena said this isn't work that she's doing. Any recommendations before they get listed for sale?

Doing alterations is not a duck walk. There are members here who used to repair and are excellent. I do all of my repairs and have done it because of the current price of repairs. I had Dena do two of my Buco's some five years ago. That was the last time I paid for a repair. If you can not do the work yourself, It would better to sell it instead of repair.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Hi folks

I have a few jackets from the Real McCoys (the horsehide Nelson and an unlined cowhide western jacket) that just don't fit anymore. Both are size 40. Shoulders are fine (as are the arms and arm holes=) but the body of each jacket needs to be trimmed. Alan from Johnson Leathers broke my heart today when he said that they aren't taking any outside work and Dena said this isn't work that she's doing. Any recommendations before they get listed for sale?

Being honest, I'm at this place with a couple jackets I own presently, one a recent acquisition, the other I have had a few years and greatly love, but I am over "fighting it". Time to move them both along, at least in my case. I do not have the time, bandwidth or the funds really to have the jacket altered. (Alterations are rather expensive, given the labor involved). Since your Real McCoys are generally well sought after, it may make more sense to sell them along and order better fitting ones in their place.

 

[Bennarion]

Altering your jacket will not meet your expectations

 

[MrProper]

Altering your jacket will not meet your expectations

Why? I had three jackets altered and I am extremely satisfied.

 

[Aloysius]

I love Cal leathers BUT, I strongly advice NOT so send them any repair work. I truly hope they do get their act together. I do not like writing this....

Would you give the same warning about getting their new jackets at the moment?

 

[TartuWolf]

I think altering cheaper jackets that you got used for a good price is a much better idea than altering high end jackets due to how it effects resale value. On the other hand if you are 100% sure that you have absolutely no intention on parting ways with a given jacket and send it to a reputable place (for example one guy sent his Y2 to Thedi with good results I remember) then it should work out fine I think. I'm taking my Vanson Octagon B to my local leather tailor to shorter the body, replace the zipper and raise it, remove the liner zipper, remove the windflap, remove the waist straps (that would end up too low after the shortening) and maybe taper the waist in a bit once I get my purdy zipper replacement from JP. But it's a 200$ jacket, I'd be much more hesitant about doing the same to a 1000$+ jacket.

 

[GHT]

Doing alterations is not a duck walk. There are members here who used to repair and are excellent. I do all of my repairs and have done it because of the current price of repairs. I had Dena do two of my Buco's some five years ago. That was the last time I paid for a repair. If you can not do the work yourself, It would better to sell it instead of repair.

Sound advice. A spearhead-tipped needle, also called a leather needle, is used for penetrating durable fabrics like leather, vinyl, and suede, creating a cut in the material that allows the stitch to form more easily. This cutting action helps to prevent the machine from struggling and avoids damaging the fabric by tearing it, as a conventional needle might easily do. Anyone familiar with sewing a hide, as opposed to a woven fabric, will be able to give both advice and an explanation of sewing needles required.

 

[jchance]

I think altering cheaper jackets that you got used for a good price is a much better idea than altering high end jackets due to how it effects resale value. On the other hand if you are 100% sure that you have absolutely no intention on parting ways with a given jacket and send it to a reputable place (for example one guy sent his Y2 to Thedi with good results I remember) then it should work out fine I think. I'm taking my Vanson Octagon B to my local leather tailor to shorter the body, replace the zipper and raise it, remove the liner zipper, remove the windflap, remove the waist straps (that would end up too low after the shortening) and maybe taper the waist in a bit once I get my purdy zipper replacement from JP. But it's a 200$ jacket, I'd be much more hesitant about doing the same to a 1000$+ jacket.

I generally agree. Unless it’s a vintage piece or one with sentimental value, I would not go the alteration route. The pattern probably doesn’t work anymore with your new body, it’s better to sell and buy something else that fits well / perfectly. You have owned leather jackets, you should have already known how various patterns work and how they only look good on specific body types. Altering a pattern’s dimensions risks messing it up altogether.

 

[AerGuitar]

Sound advice. A spearhead-tipped needle, also called a leather needle, is used for penetrating durable fabrics like leather, vinyl, and suede, creating a cut in the material that allows the stitch to form more easily. This cutting action helps to prevent the machine from struggling and avoids damaging the fabric by tearing it, as a conventional needle might easily do. Anyone familiar with sewing a hide, as opposed to a woven fabric, will be able to give both advice and an explanation of sewing needles required.

Yeah, specific needles are definitely needed for sewing leather. I prefer diamond shaped (DIA) industrial needles for sewing jackets, and I like the triangular (TRI) needles for other leather goods such as wallets and sheaths. Both are suitable for piercing leather, but I think the diamond shape produces a much cleaner looking stitch with a smaller “hole” given the same weight of thread.
As far as alterations… anything more than a simple shortening of the body length( given that there is room without relocating the main zip), I would rather make a jacket from scratch than tear one apart to make make major ( or even minor in certain panels) changes to an existing jacket. Those performing clean alterations on leather jackets are earning their money, in my opinion.

 

[photo2u]

Would you give the same warning about getting their new jackets at the moment?

Their new jackets are ok. In my view, they have a nice lady doing their jackets. I know in the past, their repairs' person was a disaster based on my observations of her work. I have visited them many times. The last time I was there, I spoke to the repair person for about half an hour. After talking to her, she allowed me to view some of their repairs and view their old collection of jackets. In total, I was there for more than an hour.

 

[jglf]

Carrie took about 2in off the waist of my Aero Seven and it came out perfect. You can’t even tell that it was altered. I’ve also had her narrow the sleeves of a Vanson with the same result. You’re going to spend a few hundred dollars, but it was worth it for me in my situation.

 

[raf]

At some point, the cost to modify/repair a jacket becomes too much and selling it becomes the preferred option.

This point is related to the fair price of the jacket.

"Original's" have different rules.