1. It is important to know what kind of leather you are using

The leather must be strong enough for abuse to allow the jacket to be broken in. Lambskin is luxurious and soft, but it does not have the same tensile strengths as cowhide or goatskin. In the sense that leather can be stitched up, it is not similar to fabric. Skins are permanently affected by scratches and marks. You should choose a durable, strong leather that you can wear in order to make it fit to your body.

2. Slow down

You cannot undo any damage done to the jacket. Take a look at worn-in leather jackets to see which areas are showing the most wear. The most wear from friction and scratching is usually on the collar, pockets, and underarms of leather jackets. You will see leather naturally breaking in unevenly over time, so don’t be too exact.

3. You can get caught in light rain

Water will soften the leather and allow for you to stretch and creeve at certain points of your body. Although it is an effective way to shrink leather, many people recommend that you wash your jacket in the washer and dry it. To avoid your jacket shrinking significantly, you can wear it through light drizzle until the leather becomes damp. You can stretch your arms and do pushups or grab a punching bag to create wrinkles. You can also lightly spray the jacket with water if you don’t want to wait for the weather to change. However, be careful not to soak it. It will become more shaped as it dries.

4. You can roughen it up

Steel wool can be used to lightly scratch and remove some of the surface finish. Sandpaper is too rough and difficult to control. You can’t reverse the damage done by sandpaper so make sure you use slow strokes. The jacket will naturally wear over time, so if you make mistakes, you can rub the area again as you wear it. You can roll the jacket into a ball and tie it with twine. The more you move it and the more it softens, the better it will take on its own shape.

5. It is the best way to express your style

Every Schott jacket is a blank canvas that can be customized and used over the years. Every scratch and every nick tells a unique story to the person who wears it, whether they are riding it on their motorcycle to cross-country road trips or to the ballgame and back.