Leather jacket in a washing machine?!?

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pellman

New member
I have a new leather jacket. It is either lamb or goatskin nappa. Label just says "leather."

This discussion thread on weathering a leather jacket here http://www.therpf.com/f24/how-weathe...jacket-122526/ features some posts by users who put their jackets through a wash cycle! One user states that his jacket shrunk about a half size. I assume that means that if it was a large, after washing it was between a medium and large in size.

If that's true, that would be perfect because my jacket is a little large.

So what might happen if I ran it through a delicate cycle? Cold or hot? What bad may happen other than shrinking? Or what might happen if I just give it a dunking in water and hang it up to dry?

Any information about leather care is appreciated.
 
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Mickiana

Well-known member
Look up the Distressing techniques discussions on Club Obi Wan forum. Plenty of good ideas there. I wouldn't like to promote one idea for you in case it backfires.
 
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mikieson

New member
Honestly..I would tie it with a rope to the back of my car,4wheeler,ect and take off down a dirt road..after about an hour it would be fine..
 
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Mickiana

Well-known member
Yes, that, or go to COW and look up Fedoraiders "Methode" for distressing his Wested. It's probably the best way I've seen for 'authentic' distressing. But I am yet to try it myself. Fedoraiders methode is on Youtube.
 
Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

Guest
pellman said:
So what might happen if I ran it through a delicate cycle? Cold or hot? What bad may happen other than shrinking? Or what might happen if I just give it a dunking in water and hang it up to dry?
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Can't wait to hear your results...though I've never heard anyone suggest a washing mashine for leather.

Sounds like it'll distress it pretty well...if that's the right word.
 
Goodeknight

Goodeknight

New member
Some distressing techniques involve putting it in the dryer. Letting it tumble on cold for a while to get it broken in.

I wouldn't wash it. Too much damage could be done. I know some have, though. Washing won't take out much color, and the distressing will be unnatural. What you want is distressing in the places it would distress from wearing, not all over. You know, elbows, shoulders, cuffs, pocket flaps, etc.

With mine, I did damp it down a good bit and put it in the dryer. Luckily I checked it often, and found that even on "delicate / cold" for some reason the heat was blowing pretty hard. Had I left it, it would have shrunk more than half a size.

Also think about how it will shrink. If the sleeves are a bit too long, have them taken in. If you try to shrink it, it'll shrink all over.

As others have suggested, keep doing research over at Club Obiwan. My way-new Wested looked terrible out of the box, and took a lot of work to get it looking good. Involved a full pint of acetate, some scratchy rocks, lots of water, some sandpaper, and a Mercedes military cargo truck. ;)
 
Goodeknight

Goodeknight

New member
Rocket Surgeon said:
...or you could just WEAR the thing and do some work...
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That's always been my theory. But at least with my Wested, it would have taken 10+ years to get it to look broken in. They look insanely new when they come, unless they're predistressed of course. New, they have a look of a Euro club jacket. So brown it was almost black.

I've also thought it was funny that people start threads about artificially distressing their Indy-style work gloves.
 
Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

Guest
goodeknight said:
That's always been my theory. But at least with my Wested, it would have taken 10+ years to get it to look broken in. They look insanely new when they come, unless they're predistressed of course. New, they have a look of a Euro club jacket. So brown it was almost black.
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Work harder!
:p


goodeknight said:
I've also thought it was funny that people start threads about artificially distressing their Indy-style work gloves.
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I should sell pre-distressed gloves!:rolleyes:
 
M

Mickiana

Well-known member
Working in the metal industry I would receive leather handling gloves as safety wear that were almost identical to Indy gloves. I can vouch that working for a couple of days with carbon metal will distress them beautifully. The black mill scale, grinding dust, rust, sweat and general dirt will shape and soil the gloves into something any roving adventurer would be proud of. Now all you gotta do is get a job in the metal industry!:whip:
 
Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

Guest
Mickiana said:
Working in the metal industry I would receive leather handling gloves as safety wear that were almost identical to Indy gloves. I can vouch that working for a couple of days with carbon metal will distress them beautifully. The black mill scale, grinding dust, rust, sweat and general dirt will shape and soil the gloves into something any roving adventurer would be proud of. Now all you gotta do is get a job in the metal industry!:whip:
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Chop some wood, burn it, clean the hearth, repeat.
 
Rocket Surgeon

Rocket Surgeon

Guest
Do I have to thin of everything?

Mickiana said:
Rocket, I live in the sub tropics. Cold is under 20 degC!
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Ok! So mow the lawn, change the oil in the mower/your car. Plant a garden!:p
goodeknight said:
Yeah, my gloves would have to be restored to get them looking like Indy props. Too far gone from regular use.
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Oi! Get a few pair and rotate, or at least put a spare pair in your pocket till you they reach a nice wear point.


Come on guys, where's that can do Indy attitude?!
 
T

The Character

New member
Hi,

Washing is the answer if you want your jacket distressed faster .. and does no real harm ...

1/ Wash at 40 degrees
2/ Do NOT use detergent
3/ Spin twice if possible ... the leather really holds the water when soaked
4/ Reshape the jacket soon as its out -- Spend time doing this .. put pocket linings back .. reshape the panels ... tuck cuffs back in etc ..Drape it over an ironing board and rework it.
5/ Hang it outside if possible to dry on a GOOD suit style hanger ...
6a/ When linings is pretty dry and leather is not quite fully dry but still 'rubbery' to the touch put it on and wear it .. this puts the wrinkles in the sleeves and you can do a bit of collar shaping etc
6b/ This is also the point where you can do minor surface distressing with W&D paper .. but do a test area first ... some leather lose the surface easily and you'll end up with SUEDE and not a distressed jacket
7/ Keep wearing it as long as you can and then hang up again on the suit hanger (type with shoulder pads)

NOTE:
If by chance you find as, sometimes happens, that the arms are now too short a top trick i learned.

Get two 2 litre Soda bottles
- Fill with warm water (not cold)
- Wet/soak only the arms of the jacket again in HOT as you can bear water
- place one bottle in each sleeve and put back on the suit hanger
- Ensure the bottles sit right down into the cuff (card wrapped around the base works)
- After an hour or so check on the progress ... I left mine overnight

Now put the jacket (now with long sleeves) back on .... wet arms AGAIN in the shower and go sit cross armed in front of the TV ...
 
M

mikieson

New member
The Character said:
Hi,

Washing is the answer if you want your jacket distressed faster .. and does no real harm ...

1/ Wash at 40 degrees
2/ Do NOT use detergent
3/ Spin twice if possible ... the leather really holds the water when soaked
4/ Reshape the jacket soon as its out -- Spend time doing this .. put pocket linings back .. reshape the panels ... tuck cuffs back in etc ..Drape it over an ironing board and rework it.
5/ Hang it outside if possible to dry on a GOOD suit style hanger ...
6a/ When linings is pretty dry and leather is not quite fully dry but still 'rubbery' to the touch put it on and wear it .. this puts the wrinkles in the sleeves and you can do a bit of collar shaping etc
6b/ This is also the point where you can do minor surface distressing with W&D paper .. but do a test area first ... some leather lose the surface easily and you'll end up with SUEDE and not a distressed jacket
7/ Keep wearing it as long as you can and then hang up again on the suit hanger (type with shoulder pads)

NOTE:
If by chance you find as, sometimes happens, that the arms are now too short a top trick i learned.

Get two 2 litre Soda bottles
- Fill with warm water (not cold)
- Wet/soak only the arms of the jacket again in HOT as you can bear water
- place one bottle in each sleeve and put back on the suit hanger
- Ensure the bottles sit right down into the cuff (card wrapped around the base works)
- After an hour or so check on the progress ... I left mine overnight

Now put the jacket (now with long sleeves) back on .... wet arms AGAIN in the shower and go sit cross armed in front of the TV ...
Click to expand...

Good grief..LOL..OR just tie yourself to the back of a truck and get dragged down the road..more painful but faster..:)
 
M

mikieson

New member
goodeknight said:
More than pleasant, that would be AWESOME!
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LOL...thats it..you have to buy me a Wested xxl jacket and send it my way..THEN I will take pics and video of me being drug...this is our plan right?? You have to do this for the good of the site LOL!!!
 
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