Below is some dialog the owner of this vest (Jerry) and I had about it. ...Dave
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10/3
Thanks Jerry... I just received your final payment for the vest. Thank you very much. I will ship it tomorrow and then send you an email with a USPS Delivery Confirmation Number for the package.
I feel there are some things I should tell you about this vest. As you can see by the pictures of vests on my web site, the Walnut color is lighter than I am generally asked to build a vest with. Although I have built vests with it before. You surely realize that it will most probably burnish more/quicker than the dark ones do. In short, what I am about to say is - don't worry about it.
This burnishing comes with what many would call 'soiling'. The first 'soil' is always the one concerns folks the most (with handbags, too). In due time this soiling/burnishing will even out and become a part of a very nice old vest. By then the first soil will have faded (evened out) and won't seem as bad as it first did. Even ink pen marks (speaking mostly about handbags, again) eventually begin to rub off/fade. Oils from a variety of things permeate to practically nothing. Heck, even rain can burnish/soil it.
Any leather conditioner, etc. that you put on it is apt to darken it. That doesn't necessarily matter, but, it would never again be like it once was - especially if the conditioner used has oils in it.
What I use to make the laces slick for braiding is pure saddle soap - Fiebings saddle soap by name (white or yellow). Often saddle soaps do have oils in them - like 'mink oil' or 'neat's foot oil'.
If worse came to worse you could actually wash the vest. Although I'd hesitate to do that, but, water will not hurt it. If you do get a bad stain and want to wash it - use a very mild soap like shampoo or Lanolin.
If you ever have any questions, of course, you can get back to me.
Thanks again, ...Dave
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10/14
Hello Dave,
First of all,,I feel you kept me informed,and I'm very pleased with your communication with me!!
I also felt I didn't email you asap,but I'm not high tech in any form.
All the information you told me about the care of the leather is great,and I thank you much for that.
The way it will wear and color and change of the vest is what I expected with a light color,so do not worry about that,thats cool to me,I expect it to age with wear.
NOW TO THE VEST
WOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been wearing it non stop and at home I hang it up and put where I can see it just so I can look at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still can not find words great enough to compare to your MASTERPIECE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never been so pleased with anything I've every bought for myself in my whole life!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This compares with my best buys in my life,,my marantz 2325,,my 1969 gto convertable,,my home,,ect!!!!!!!!!!!
If I could have made it,, it would be the exact same as the way you built my vest!!!!!!
I cannot thank-you enough!!!!!!!!!,,you are an excellent craftsmen!!!!!!!!!!
I am not so good with words and I thought by now,,(cause I got vest on Tuesday and its Sunday now) that I could have a written something more defined,,but I haven't yet,,just my ramblings,,but I know when I put the vest on I feel like a millionaire,the vest is the best I could have hoped for!!!!!!!!!
Sometime by the end of the month I will post something nice and to the point on your web site.
Dave...THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish everybody took so much pride in their work!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good night and Good health to you !!!!!!!!!!!!
Jerry - Bellefontaine,,Ohio,,
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