Leather Flight Jacket Care - What Do You Use?

Fearless Tower

Fearless Tower

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Fearless Tower
So, I am noticing an interesting wear pattern developing on my G2 flight jacket.

After over 200 hours of flying in the T6, the left arm (throttle arm) is starting to become visibly worn. Basically from hours of rubbing against the side of the airframe. Kind of cool in a way like a 50 mission crush cap effect. But, that said, I'd like to keep it from getting worse. Parts of the left arm are starting to get a suede kind of look and feel.

What product(s) do folks use to preserve and maintain their jackets?
 
I dont think anything other than a patch of,... wait for it..., leather, will stop a rub spot.
...but hand cleaner to clean. Nivea(Euro formula) to condition and soften/protect. Shoes, seats, couches, you name it leather.
 
Just for fun I cleaned my oldest leather biker jacket. Got it 30 years ago and it looked it. Took some cleaner to it, followed up with some conditioner. I don't think I spent more than 30 minutes. Wife thought it was new.

I inherited my flight jacket from my father in law (he didn't fly with it, but I do). There's a spot rubbed from his shoulder pack. I live with it.
 
I’ve used the car leather wipes in the past on mine. Almost 10 years old and still in decent shape. Don’t wear it while flying though. Too restrictive. I do bring it with me in case of an off field landing.
 
I haven't done anything to my USAF issued A-2 Flight jacket since I got it back in 1997 other then wipe off a spill with a wet paper towel/napkin/wash cloth, oh and I replaced the zipper pull. After 20 years it's showing it's age but it's still looking pretty decent -- no cracking leather or anything like that, just well worn. Like Robert posted above, leather care products won't protect against physical wear.
 
Tide. My flight jacket is a hoodie.

I thought all of you warbird types flew in a onesie -- is the jacket worn in addition?
 
I had my leather jacket custom made while I was in Korea. I don't remember what I paid for it but I can tell you that it was less than an A-2. I even got to pick my own leather for it. I wanted it to look beat up even though it was new so I looked for leather in which the previous owner had got into a fight with a bunch of abrasive stuff - even a barbed wire fence. I've had it for almost 20 years now and any wear I may have put on it isn't noticeable at all.
 
schmookeeg said:
I thought all of you warbird types flew in a onesie -- is the jacket worn in addition?
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Yes. I wear the leather jacket when flying below 70F in biplanes and when flying the T6 in the winter.

My T6 was originally built in the US for export as a Harvard II, which means that when they repatriated it they had to remove the Harvard exhaust stack which also served as the cockpit heater. So, I basically have no cockpit heat.
 
eman1200 said:
I’m not cool enough for a leather flight jacket.
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No worries ... a leather jacket will make you look cool enough. Even more so than epaulets on your starched white flight shirt! :D
 
I had a jacket issued to me in 2000. Lots of hours in that gear. I just wear it and occasionally give it some love with leather cleaner and moisturizer. Can’t remember the name brand. It’s whatever Perone leather recommended. Never had an issue.

by occasionally I mean once every couple of years. Glad you asked though… can’t remember the last time I gave it some love. Need to do that soon.
 
The delta between a leather jacket and the fleece pullover I wear can buy alot of gallons of 100LL (or whatever it changes to)
 
Mink oil?
 
Daleandee said:
No worries ... a leather jacket will make you look cool enough. Even more so than epaulets on your starched white flight shirt! :D
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Ah, but if you get a leather jacket with epaulets...

What about saddle soap? I remember that being recommended.
 
Saddle soap and - as stated above - mink oil.
 
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