So, for a while i haven't really liked the fit of my fencing - always thought it was a sz too big and was thinking about selling....BUT....i read the booklet and it does say you can machine wash....
so i thought 'what the hell'.....limited downside, and decided to gamble and machine wash it.
In hindsight i wish i had taken photos throughout the process..........
So, yesterday was a baking hot 28 degrees and this is what i did:
- i pulled the sleeves through body, turned inside out, zipped up from inside (so the jacket was completely inside out)
- put in washing machine. 60 degrees, (but I suppose if you don't want shrinkage you could do a cold wash).
- I used maximum spin (1200 revs) otherwise the jacket is completely soaked at the end and will take a month to dry
- when finished, I took it out, laid flat, and looked over the leather. The zippers leave some imprints, but as the leather is wet and spongey you just run your fingers over them and they disappear immediately.
Ps I still have black fingers today from doing it.
- then i straighten out all the internal pockets etc while wet
- buy 10 copies of you biggest newspaper because you need loads of paper, and separate all the pages
- then stuffed the arms and shoulders first so they resemble the exact shape and creases i wanted. Then i did the whole body, zipped up and continued.
I spent quite a lot of time doing this and stuffing it quite full.
Quite a hard process but it should resemble this when finished.
- then i left in the direct sun on a towel until the front was hard baked and dry (2-3 hrs) turned it over and did the same on the back.
- Then emptied the carcass of all paper and left to dry open for another hour or two in direct sun until the inside was dry.
- at this point the jacket is baked pretty solid and can stand up entirely on it's own. (Colour is matt and like colour 19 but darker)........but it does soften up quite quickly when handled....
- I considered leaving it like this, matt and grey, but the wife preferred it oiled.
- so used this product (bought in france in one of the department stores) to oil the whole thing with a sponge.
Took an hour or so, but the jacket returned completely to its original black colour with the oiling, became silky again, but retained a much more structured and thicker feeling leather.
I adore it. If anything it feels like a brand new jacket but in a much nicer, more durable and strong leather.
But this comes with big big big warnings. It's is far far more like as sz46
Old measurements:
P2P: 50.5cm
S2S: 47cm
Length ex collar: 65.5c
Width at very bottom: 54cm
New measurements:
P2P: 47.5cm
S2S: 43.5cm
Length ex collar: 63cm
Width at very bottom: 50cm
So substantial shrinkage
Before and after shots:
Before
After
Leather details
The front zip is a bit more wavy like the zips on the tornadoes and on my bison, as the leather has shrunk a touch more than the zipper, which makes it look more poell IMO.
so i thought 'what the hell'.....limited downside, and decided to gamble and machine wash it.
In hindsight i wish i had taken photos throughout the process..........
So, yesterday was a baking hot 28 degrees and this is what i did:
- i pulled the sleeves through body, turned inside out, zipped up from inside (so the jacket was completely inside out)
- put in washing machine. 60 degrees, (but I suppose if you don't want shrinkage you could do a cold wash).
- I used maximum spin (1200 revs) otherwise the jacket is completely soaked at the end and will take a month to dry
- when finished, I took it out, laid flat, and looked over the leather. The zippers leave some imprints, but as the leather is wet and spongey you just run your fingers over them and they disappear immediately.
Ps I still have black fingers today from doing it.
- then i straighten out all the internal pockets etc while wet
- buy 10 copies of you biggest newspaper because you need loads of paper, and separate all the pages
- then stuffed the arms and shoulders first so they resemble the exact shape and creases i wanted. Then i did the whole body, zipped up and continued.
I spent quite a lot of time doing this and stuffing it quite full.
Quite a hard process but it should resemble this when finished.
- then i left in the direct sun on a towel until the front was hard baked and dry (2-3 hrs) turned it over and did the same on the back.
- Then emptied the carcass of all paper and left to dry open for another hour or two in direct sun until the inside was dry.
- at this point the jacket is baked pretty solid and can stand up entirely on it's own. (Colour is matt and like colour 19 but darker)........but it does soften up quite quickly when handled....
- I considered leaving it like this, matt and grey, but the wife preferred it oiled.
- so used this product (bought in france in one of the department stores) to oil the whole thing with a sponge.
Took an hour or so, but the jacket returned completely to its original black colour with the oiling, became silky again, but retained a much more structured and thicker feeling leather.
I adore it. If anything it feels like a brand new jacket but in a much nicer, more durable and strong leather.
But this comes with big big big warnings. It's is far far more like as sz46
Old measurements:
P2P: 50.5cm
S2S: 47cm
Length ex collar: 65.5c
Width at very bottom: 54cm
New measurements:
P2P: 47.5cm
S2S: 43.5cm
Length ex collar: 63cm
Width at very bottom: 50cm
So substantial shrinkage
Before and after shots:
Before
After
Leather details
The front zip is a bit more wavy like the zips on the tornadoes and on my bison, as the leather has shrunk a touch more than the zipper, which makes it look more poell IMO.
I LOVE IT, AND ITS THE PERFECT SPRING SUMMER JACKET.....OPINIONS, QUESTIONS WELCOME, BUT I DID IT AS DESCRIBED
THERE IS A MORAL TO THIS STORY, BUT I CAN'T QUITE PUT MY FINGER ON IT, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES, JUST SOMETIMES THOSE BIG STUPID RISKS YOU TAKE, PAY OFF
THERE IS A MORAL TO THIS STORY, BUT I CAN'T QUITE PUT MY FINGER ON IT, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES, JUST SOMETIMES THOSE BIG STUPID RISKS YOU TAKE, PAY OFF
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