Is it possible to shorten sleeves on a leather jacket from the middle?

maddog5150

Been Around the Block
I just got the jacket I've been wanting for a long time. It's an Alpinestars Drift and I love it except that my arms are a little stubby or it. The elbow protection goes from forearm to just the edge of my elbow and its rather unformfortable where my arm bends as the jacket isn't designed to flex there. Is it possible for a shop to unstitch, cut a few inches from above the elbow and restitch? I may be hard because of the design but I really like this jacket. I know it wont look perfect but as long as it looked clean, I'd be all for it.

If its possible or there is a shop you know of and have a link, please let me know.



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I see you're in SoCal. I grew up in San Diego. I dunno where in SoCal you are, but there is an excellent leather shop in National City, just south of downtown San Diego. I think they are simply called "The Leather Store" or something like that. They are where I got my jacket. They have hundreds of jackets, gloves, vests, hats, belts, everything, and a shop in the back where they do a bunch of tailoring by hand. I'm sure if you were went there and told them what you want they could alter the jacket for you. Hopefully "SoCal" doesn't mean, like, Riverside, or something super far away. Good luck
 
Just did a quick internet check: Their website is leather.com (but it's under construction), but the store is called San Diego Leather. Fyi, if you check them out, half their store is hardware and tools, and the other half is leather. They almost literally divide their store down the middle this way. So don't be weirded out like I was.
 
They'll probobly remove the stitching at the shoulder and shorten the arms. And, it will probobly cost a fortune.
 
VonYinzer said:
They'll probobly remove the stitching at the shoulder and shorten the arms. And, it will probobly cost a fortune.

It's going to cost a serious fortune, because you're dealing with making that white accent stripe match up when they re-stitch. Otherwise it's going to look like a set of prison garments when they're done. Aesthetics. Cool jacket though.
 
You can try taking to a hispanic upholstery shop or tailor, they work wonders and tell them El Chingon set you.
 
Probably would be much cheaper to move the elbow armour up higher in the sleeve than modify the middle or top of the sleeve. Then, if the sleeve is too long you can just alter the cuff part since the armour would be where it should.
 
They should be able to move the inside of the sleeve up to where you need and bring the cuffs up as well leaving alone the shoulders and stripe.

What it will cost? I don't know. My bespoke jacket cost me just above 1K, so "Fortune" is a relative term.
 
You know, people say the same thing about our bikes. "You spent how much on a 30 year old Honda?"

Its an exact copy of the one my Grandfather rode with in the 50's in Germany. He have me the original when it fit me when I was like 12. He is around 5' tall and I'm 6'3". I vowed to have one made to fit me one day.

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End Hijack.
 
It is worth it to make it fit you. A good leather jacket is something you can have for a long, long time. They look better with age.

It is possible to have the sleeves shortened from the middle. The problem is it will have a seam at the joint where it is cut. I had
this done to a jacket and it looked like a design element of the jacket after it was done. You may or may not like that with this jacket.
As someone else pointed out, it would be better to move the armor and shorten the sleeve at the cuff
 
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