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Here's one more picture of the Dainese modifications, Phase One. I had removed the Dainese banners along the legs, and had an idea of how to replace them. With the Dainese chest tape held out of the way, you can see my pleats clearly. I think they came out really well, almost perfectly balanced. All it took was inumerable measurements before beginning to sew! A six weeks business trip to Alaska was coming up, and the Dainese was going to be one of two major "evenings and weekends" projects! |
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The easy part was deciding what to say; the much harder part was cutting all of those letters! Sewing each letter in place was tedious, but the work went fast. The hard part was sewing them onto the suit, through up to four layers of competition grade leather. By hand, using pliers for the really tough places. I only broke two needles and ruined one thimble! |
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| Finally, the first public wearing of my renewed suit. You'd almost think I was trying to hide behind that sign! And I'm still not sure about the appropriate boots. . . . |
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It would take a more creative pose than I could achieve that day to show the banners to full effect, but they came out fine, I think. Subdued and much less distracting than those they replaced. For now, I'm leaving the shortened original Dainese tapes across the chest, but I didn't restore those on the back. |
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| If you look really closely just above my boot tops, you can see the grey leather patches I used to replace the destroyed Knee Pucks. Actually, the pucks are fine, but their plastic holders were gone! It didn't seem worth the effort to cut the leather to the round pattern required. I've considered inserting them in the still intact pouches, just to see how they look through the leather! |
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This is another non-suit, but a very reasonable combination. The pants were my first experience with the wonderfully sexy Hein Gericke gear, their "Pilot Kombi Pants"! I was fascinated with the padding and the look of invicibility they exuded. Shortly after I bought them, I was walking in a forest near Dayton, Ohio, and slipped on wet leaves. Not a scratch or a bruise, so I was a believer! The jacket dates from about the same era; made by Joe Rocket, it's called their Imatra, but I don't know what that means. They (pants and jacket) do zip together. |
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| Would you believe the padded vest came from Sears, "where America (used to) shop(s)"? I suspect they intended folks to wear something under it, silly them!! These photos were made next to the then under construction rose arbor at my former residence on Lameuse Street. If you look closely, the removed jacket is up in the corner! A friend found the equestrian riding boots for me. |
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There's this neat store up in Couer d'Alene, Idaho, called "Way Out West". Would it help if I told you their motto is "Get Used and Like It!"? Yep, used leather boots, clothing leather and non, even union suits (all cloth the last time I checked), all with a pedigree: A typical listing might say, "Great Used Shape From Thompson Falls MT Lumberjack/Lumbermill Worker".
Once in a while something will show up, such as this great two-piece, custom suit made by David Samuel Menkes of New York. Again, the legs were too short, and I had to extend them shortly after this photo was made. The great UniRoyal rubber boots were from the same source. Maybe someday I'll do a new photo of the pants as modified, paired with the jacket and more appropriate boots!
If you want to continue with the rest of the Leathers Section, follow this link to its Home Base!
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