Aged Looking Leathers

[Buzz Kanter]

OK, so you guys are giving me grief about wearing a shiny looking black leather jacket on my "crustoration" 1948 Panhead. I have a bunch of worn old leather jackets and probably should have worn one of them in the photo shoot.

So I am curious if anyone here is willing to admit to taking a new looking leather jacket and making it look old and worn on purpose.

I can't say I know anyone who has done this but suspect it could be done with sandpaper and oil. Of course you'd need plenty of beer to do it right.

On the other hand, does anyone sell pre-stressed leathers? I am not in the market for any as I have plenty of old ones I've been stressing for decades - and some of them still even fit me.

[milindh]

Hey Buzz

Make the new look old? Yeah, I guess so...if you want to be a poser. I'm wearing a fairly new black leather jacket these days and, I have to say, I'm a little embarassed that it's so shiny. Like a well worn pair of old Levi 501's it's great to have a little soul in what you wear and soul comes from living life fully in all it's grittyness and imperfection. Getting old and worn has its own charm that you can't buy.

There seems to be a fad right now of making new bikes look old. Other mags specialize in this. The Horse is one of them. I was kind of baffled when I saw that mag but now I think this trend is a reaction to the "factory chopper" trend of the last decade or so where you can buy your way into chopperdom if you have enough disposable income. I'm kinda diggin' this rat bike thang , although I don't like the bikes themselves, because it is all about building your own bike in all its own backyard mechanic glory. The effort that goes into faux finishing these bikes is a little weird to me however.

[HarleyCruiser]

Originally Posted by Buzz Kanter

So I am curious if anyone here is willing to admit to taking a new looking leather jacket and making it look old and worn on purpose.:

Yea, I do, same way you do, firsts wear it in the rain, then dry it out in the ninety degree heat on the open road. Cover it with dead bugs, then preasure wash it in a car wash. Use it for a kneel pad when I am packing my bags. Use it for a pillow when camping.
No I am not hard core, just love to ride.
Couple of years ago I saw distressed leather coats in the Harley boutique. Nice looking but you could tell they were distressed, not old.
Oh yea, glad you have a since of humor.

[Buzz Kanter]

Originally Posted by HarleyCruiser

Yea, I do, same way you do, firsts wear it in the rain, then dry it out in the ninety degree heat on the open road. Cover it with dead bugs, then preasure wash it in a car wash. Use it for a kneel pad when I am packing my bags. Use it for a pillow when camping.
No I am not hard core, just love to ride.
Couple of years ago I saw distressed leather coats in the Harley boutique. Nice looking but you could tell they were distressed, not old.
Oh yea, glad you have a since of humor.

Sounds about right to me. I often wear my 10, 20 or 30 year old leather jackets like a badge of honor sometimes. Sure wish the 30 year old jackets still fit me. Oh well...

I saw a few distressed leather jackets for sale a while ago and had to scratch my head in wonder. I guess they sell well with those novelty helmets with the fake ponytails hanging down the back and the lick and stick tattoos.

[oldhdrider]

Originally Posted by HarleyCruiser

then preasure wash it in a car wash. Use it for a pillow when camping.
Oh yea, glad you have a since of humor.

Ah-Choo-ull-hit, sorry getting over a cold.
You telling us you wash your coat in the car wash and use you jacket for a pillow, under the open starts?
You been watching Easy rider latley?
Lets see if HC has a sence of humor

[HarleyCruiser]

Originally Posted by oldhdrider

Ah-Choo-ull-hit, sorry getting over a cold.
You telling us you wash your coat in the car wash and use you jacket for a pillow, under the open starts?
You been watching Easy rider latley?
Lets see if HC has a sence of humor

Ok you got me, well I did use my jacket for a pillow, once, I was trying to travel light, dang that thing was hard as a rock.
Now I carry a feather pillow, and even bought one of those hand held battery air pumps and an air mattress.
Like a pair of pants, every year the tent seems to get smaller, think this is the last year for it.
I have used a pressure washer on my chaps but don’t think on my jacket.
So technically that a did once, a maybe, and a kinda ;-)