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Happy day! I got my N-1 last night! (restoration help)


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So now I need a bit of help with restoration.

 

The Jacket I bought is in really excellent "mechanical" condition- no rips or other typical issues such as frayed sleeve ends. Original zipper is there and works fine. It's got a solid stencil and probably has never even been laundered. It is reported to have no "smells" so I guess that's a plus.

 

But, (there's always a "but" right??) it does have some staining- on a sleeve reported to be "ink" but I'm inclined to think it's grease/oil. And a bit of white paint some on the front storm flap and some on the rear. Not major, but distracting from an otherwise really nice piece.

 

This is grosgrain fabric, and I have no knowledge of its proper care for cleaning.

 

So, I did some research, and alcohol is suggested to soften/loosen old paint prior to laundering. And I don't lknow if it should be dry cleaned, or just a hot commercial wash... I want to tap into the knowledge base here and see what is the best way to get this clean, without fading the stencil any more than necessary and removing the paint, and other stains, if possible.

 

My plan is to do one thorough cleaning/restoration and never do it again. Start with a clean slate and then move on.

 

I WILL absolutely be wearing this. Thinking of adding y Dad's ship patch and rate, but maybe not...

 

Thanks in advance for all the tips and tricks!

 

(It's on the way- I don't have it in hand yet)

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tdogchristy90

Is this the jacket you posted about wanting, the one you said your dad wore and you played in as a kid? If so, congrats on finally getting it!

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YEs it is!

 

It has to be the one. I remembered the collar being corduroy, but I think it is the pocket liners I was thinking of. It was 30-odd years ago so I could easily be mis-remembering it.

 

But the grosgrain fabric, I remember clearly. Not a lot of options with that fabric.

 

I updated my avatar with a picture of Dad on the ship too... No date but I assume around 1959-60 early on his tour.

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First off, congratulations. I love these jackets. Could never find one my size in the Bosuns locker.

 

Understand, these "Technially" were ships property. Issued out when needed and turned in at the end of the season. That being said, if we found one that was not too messed up and fit well, we hung into them!

 

These were WORKING jackets. They got paint, grease, oil and who knows what else on them. When I see one of these jackets WITHOUT "Stuff" on it, I think, "Yeah, some office wheelie that snagged a good jacket from a real working Sailor" ( yes, I know, YN/PN/DK etc had topside GQ stations and such). The stains add character. Just sayin. My old jacket spent almost 26 years in service and had all sorts of stains on it. 6 ships, 14 deployments and 2 wars. It showed.

 

Any way, I don't ever remember seeing rating badges ever worn on these, other than the OD ones I had made for my jungle greens way back when. But, as a "Tribute" jacket, hell yeah! Your dads rate would go on the left sleeve, centered between shoulder seam and elbow. The shiphe was currently serving on would be on left breast, previous commands on right. (Anything else on the back, including flag patches of countries visited).

 

When I became a Signalman, I painted crossed Signal flags on the back of mine. I added Ships names around it as time went on. When I made Chief, I painted a CPO anchor over the top of the flags. When I made Senior Chief, I added a Star. It was very common to paint things on the backs of these jackets. I remember beautiful mermaids, dragons, Eagles, anchors, ( you get the picture).

 

Bottom line, because these jackets were NOT individual property, they did NOT fall into any refs. Any official markings were made up at the command. Guys did what they wanted to do with them. I had a buddy who had his dads from WW2. It had a highly detailed painting of the DD he served on, with a Gorgeous Mermaid wrapped around the ship. Very jealous!

 

So, m friend, put what you want on it, wherever looks good to you (rating always on left sleeve after 1948). No Rules, Just Right!

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Well, cool I appreciate your insight, and thank you for your service!

 

I meant to bring the bag of stripes etc. to work with me today for pictures but that didn't happen. Part of me is inclined to leave it alone, other than a cleaning, and then if I could get an original AD-28 Grand Canyon patch that would be a cool addition. Left breast, under the stencil.

 

But do you have any insight into the cleaning of this fabric? I understand it is "nuke proof" but water is another story...

 

If it makes you feel better, Dad's (or rather his ship's), coat was essentially black on the front. He had a foreign car repair shop and I was bending wrenches and rebuilding engines before I could drive (legally)- I was able to drive quite young, and learned on an old Ford wrecker and a Renault 16 station wagon with a 4-speed column shift! I used that Renault as a pick-up-truck to haul heavy iron to the recycle dumpster. We had a couple dune buggies as well but those were easy to drive... I remember my Dad messed up his hand pretty well when he rolled it in the corn field across the street from the shop. He was holding the roll bar over his head with his left hand when he rolled it. It actually left a bend in the bar where his hand was...

 

EDIT_ I'd love to see your jacket with all your artwork on it if you have some photos...

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Well, cool I appreciate your insight, and thank you for your service!

 

I meant to bring the bag of stripes etc. to work with me today for pictures but that didn't happen. Part of me is inclined to leave it alone, other than a cleaning, and then if I could get an original AD-28 Grand Canyon patch that would be a cool addition. Left breast, under the stencil.

 

But do you have any insight into the cleaning of this fabric? I understand it is "nuke proof" but water is another story...

 

If it makes you feel better, Dad's (or rather his ship's), coat was essentially black on the front. He had a foreign car repair shop and I was bending wrenches and rebuilding engines before I could drive (legally)- I was able to drive quite young, and learned on an old Ford wrecker and a Renault 16 station wagon with a 4-speed column shift! I used that Renault as a pick-up-truck to haul heavy iron to the recycle dumpster. We had a couple dune buggies as well but those were easy to drive... I remember my Dad messed up his hand pretty well when he rolled it in the corn field across the street from the shop. He was holding the roll bar over his head with his left hand when he rolled it. It actually left a bend in the bar where his hand was...

 

EDIT_ I'd love to see your jacket with all your artwork on it if you have some photos...

. Pretty much a jacket patch and carry on. All my stuff is long gone
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Hey! I got it already!

 

This thing is pretty much as-issued. It is sharp in every way. Why the interior tag is missing I have no idea, since the inspector's tag is in tact. It is a paper tag stitched in the front seam. I took a pair of photos because there is also a small metal "staple" or something there as well. If it had even been laundered, this paper tag would be gone... Fits like a glove too. Very happy.

 

Original Conmar zipper intact, nice and shiny! This had not seen much salt spray at all. Pit vents have black paint rubbed off and the bottom cord is missing, perhaps never there since the eyelets for the cord look brand new.

 

It has the distinctive "military surplus" scent, but nothing "funky".

 

And the "paint" on the front might be someone's spilled oatmeal or something... I'm going to dry brush it but picking it with my nail it seems to be on the surface, and not paint...

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Here's the seller's photos. I was able to remove the "paint" from the front storm flap. The bit on the back is paint, and I'll just leave it rather than risk damaging the fabric.

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Wore it all day today and its great. Surprisingly light for how warm it is.

 

Im going to bring it to the cleaners on Monday and see what they suggest. I want it smelling fresh for me but its not terrible for the age.

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Not sure how they would clean it or attempt to.I would worry about the alpaca lining being damaged.I have taken some uniform items, patches etc that have had smoke or other lingering orders and placed them in a clean new trash bag or sealable plastic tote then place in two or three dryer sheets and let it set closed for a couple weeks.Open up the bag or container and if the older still exist repeat process.

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In real life, these got tossed into a Ships laundry, washed in a washing machine, dried in a dryer (I would definitely wash in cold water on general cycle then hang yo sir dry. Or, not worry about a bit of paint. They all had some "stuff" on them.

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I like the dryer sheet idea. I thought of doing that in the dryer with low or no heat. Tumble and air flow.

 

But Ill see what the cleaners says. Im not worried about the paint. The lining is no problem for them either. My new concerns are the stencil on the front and the fabric itself. When I brushed it to remove the oatmeal the fabric seemed more delicate than expected.

 

Ill let you know what happens when I speak to themn

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I "found" a later one..(hey..it was laying in the same spot for weeks!) the one with the pocket..did a black square over the name..and used a white stencil pen with a half inch FORD over the pocket, and put an iron on PO3 crow on the left sleeve..

On the back i put in 2 inch stencils:

 

CVN-73

 

ENG

 

R DIV

 

BUT..they were pretty much obsolete..I never got grief for wearing it..but sure didn't see any others either!

 

We had a blue foul weather jacket..with CVN-73 and department and division on it..looked too "modern"..but I wore when when I had to before I found the green one!

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That sounds cool. Do you still have it?

 

I got mine back from the cleaners. It ;looks like new, except for where they tried to remove the paint on the back... Now those areas are a bit lighter (and the paint is not all off either).

 

I've been wearing it and it is very comfortable. Also received a few compliments on it over the weekend.

 

Bonus: No funky "60 year old surplus" smell on it either.

 

One thing I am going to do, is to apply some cyanoacrylate at the zipper lead. The fabric is soft there now and I could see the zipper getting out of time. I think stiffening that lead will keep it in line. It works like butter- super smooth zipper. Even the USA made YKK on my Schott is not a smooth.

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Well, getting the funky smell out was worth it. It's really not that bad.

 

If I was just going to display it, it probably would have been better off left alone. But, one cleaning since new is not so bad.

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That sounds cool. Do you still have it?

 

I got mine back from the cleaners. It ;looks like new, except for where they tried to remove the paint on the back... Now those areas are a bit lighter (and the paint is not all off either).

 

I've been wearing it and it is very comfortable. Also received a few compliments on it over the weekend.

 

Bonus: No funky "60 year old surplus" smell on it either.

 

One thing I am going to do, is to apply some cyanoacrylate at the zipper lead. The fabric is soft there now and I could see the zipper getting out of time. I think stiffening that lead will keep it in line. It works like butter- super smooth zipper. Even the USA made YKK on my Schott is not a smooth.

 

It MIGHT be at my folks' place..(well, my gramp's place before he passed..my mom owns now)

 

But it is a seasonal property..so I will have to check when it opens.

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Well hopefully you can find it!

 

Ive been wearing mine a lot. Its a good form fitting cut and very comfortable. Its warm but Ive yet to overheat in it.

 

I did fix up the zipper lead and although difficult to get started, its working much better. I think it will get easier with use as well. The tape is now a bit thick where I applied the glue so that is a little tough going through the zipper pull slot on the side. But the first tooth is staying straight rather than getting all out of whack.

 

I dont know how good the Japanese reproductions are but this is a jacket I can see in my wardrobe forever. Ill get another once this one is used up.

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I know the wax trick. The zipper runs like silk. It was just the first tooth would get out of alignment. Now it stays straight.

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