Ike jacket rehab

[Blacksmith]

I recently purchased an Ike jacket, that spent a LONG time balled up in a duffle bag.  As such, it is pretty wrinkly, to the point that 100 years on a hanger won’t settle it down.

 

I was going to get it dry cleaned, but found the veterans laundry number under the collar in what looks like pen / thin marker.

 

So I am wondering what you all think is best - maybe approaches you’ve taken - to rehab this jacket without endangering the laundry number.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

What do you intend to do with the jacket, display it, wear it , re-sell it?

 

 

[Blacksmith]

4 minutes ago, Bob Hudson said:

What do you intend to do with the jacket, display it, wear it , re-sell it?

 

 

Ah, good question Bob, thank you.  I plan to display it.  
 

“Wear it”, LOL.  I’ve never seen one of these I could come close to getting into.

[dmar836]

I have a steamer - the stand-up type with a hose and wand hanging on a pole. It has proven itself invaluable for many of my hobbies. So much so I replaced a cheaper one I had with a better one.

I bet that treatment would do it justice.

As far as "rehab"ing it, I have never been a fan of restoring "what the vet would have had" on a jacket. Not that you are saying you do that but those inevitably end up on the market and soon loose their "restored" caveat.

Dave

[Blacksmith]

Thank you Dave, for the steamer idea.  
 

And, I totally agree, and should have defined “rehab” better.  I am referring solely to making the jacket less wrinkly.  I would not / am not adding anything to it.

 

There are numerous topics on this, with different schools of thought, but I am a ‘leave as-is’ practitioner.

 

Thanks again.

[dmar836]

If, by chance, in the Kansas City area, you are welcome to borrow my steamer.

Dave

[Blacksmith]

That is very nice of you Dave.

 

As it is, I am pretty far away, but thank you very much.