63 year old USAAF A2 with 63 years of BO!!

Hi everyone, I am a USAAF jacket collector and discovered this forum while googling around to try to find a cure for the most horrible pungent smell coming from my newly acquired A2 jacket. It was made in 1943 and was definitely used during WW2 by an aircrewman (there were officer rank tabs on the epaulettes). It is made from Horse Hide which was originally Vegetable tanned in Russett colour. At some point later in the war it was re-issued by the quartermasters department after having been re dyed (this was common practice) with a sprayed on anniline type dye in a darker brown colour. The hide is still very soft and supple and the cotton stitching is in perfect condition. The jacket looks as if it is only a few years old!!

This is all well and good but 63 years of sweat is a heck of a lot and it really stinks in the pits!!! It's so bad I am too embarrassed to wear it in case people think I have a problem!! On advice from a modern repro jacket maker I have already tried soaking the pit areas in luke warm water to reduce the smell (after a while the water went dark green in colour) but this has not made the slightest difference - your advice/help would be greatly appreciated.

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Dear Finepiks,

Re: How to remove horrendous body odor from the most popular WW2 A-2 horsehide flight jacket accumulated through 63 years of sweat!

A very warm welcome to the forum and hope you find this forum helpful and practical to solve some of life’s embarrassing odor problems.

A “horrible pungent smell after 63 yrs of brewing” on one of world most famous A-2 horsehide flight jacket that has survived WW2.

“We shall return,” declared General Douglas MacArthur the twentieth century military icon during his Pacific mission has many a times don similar jacket as picture archives shows.

As self-determined as this aircrew man, had returned from his mission with allegiance, intelligence, understanding, courage and skill.

This jacket is the living testimony that “It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh” prevails, that commands our respect.

With the same determining spirit shall the Leather Doctor® System help de-possess this jacket of its horrendous odor!

Moreover, “we shall return” the jacket hopefully with a legendary leather scent restored instead, just like the aircrew man did his mission.

Leather apparel is more appealing too, when they are more sensuous.

To the sense of good taste, sense of our eye, the sense of our ear, the sense of our touch and most importantly the sense of our nose.

The classical leather scent is more leathery than the leather itself associated with skin.

This unforgettable leather scent is still sought after through the centuries by many a leather lover that are been charmed.

What is this leather scent today that through the centuries has transient man and woman alike?

Is the leather scent an essence, a fragrance, a perfume or a sensuous leather feel conditioner?

Here is an ode to leather scent that may amuse you.

An expression of the unforgettable classical leather scent lost too soon!

A leather fragrance amongst our favorite garments charm!
A lost of past awesome charm to much alarm!

Scentless leather now lost its former intoxicating aroma!
A senseless seeking through the web to relieve our trauma!

Where do we find a commercially available spray?
There to revive the "brand-new-smell" without delay!

Seeking out the leather scent is a true leather lover's quest.
Hoping to find leather perfume through forum made request.

And until leather incense has served our olfactory crave.
Then exquisite assuring leather may make us brave.

And once one experiences it,
An addiction is hard to unfix.

When our leather is lack of this seductive leather scent;
Then our sixth sense may say this leather isn't worth two cents.

Let our conscious be our guide when we parade with leather pride!
Let our leathered body becomes the walking stage too… with delight!

When the mood does strike;
When the leather does provide,

Essence of leather will lure us from within,
Senses will evoke memory linked with skin.

When one talks about leather scent,
Then one such as I may talk out of sense.

So beware, how seductive.
So be forewarn, how addictive.

Still tenaciously following the tune of this unforgettable leather scent?
Will matching feel choices be of buttery, waxy, silky or draggy? That depends!

To be continued…Odor Removal!

Roger Koh
IICRC#942 LCT MTC MSR
Leather Doctor® System
[email protected]

The principle of leather cleaning and deodorizing is the acceptable process of removing contaminants, pollutants and undesired substances from the leather to reduce damage or harm to human health or leather.

Methods of Leather Odor Treatment Available:

A. By Dilution is to treat it by airing, simply hang it outdoor or by means of fans.

B. By Adsorbent are typically solid materials that allow capturing and holding gaseous odors onto it.

C. By Neutralization it suggest an equation, alkaline + acid = neutral (all acidity and alkalinity is lost and a neutral salt solution remains).

D. By Oxidation, oxygen reacts with the malodor. It could be gaseous like ozone or other liquid oxidizers (when used improperly can discolor
and deteriorate leather).

E. By Antimicrobial, disinfectants used primarily to solve microorganism odor related problems.

F. By Counteraction, it means to work against complex odor such as smoke.

G. By Masking, are temporary odor problem covering up, as it wears off, malodor prevail again.

H. By Bio-enzymatic Digestion, enzyme deodorants contain organism that breaks down and digest decaying urea protein in the deodorizing process.

Odor Removal:

Some odor problems are simply solved by just one method.

This particular odor problem requires multiple methods.

Relying on one method may result in ineffective removal.

Odor Source:

The underarm original malodor source has permeates through the thickness, known as the natural wicking process because the leather is porous.

That is to say, the whole leather thickness probably between 10 to 20 sheets of newsprint is saturate with contaminants that need cleaning and deodorizing.

Not just simply from the leather surface to be effective, neutralizing and deodorizing agents has to reach into the leather thickness through a liquid medium in this situation that can neutralize, penetrate, lubricate and suspense these contaminants and then extracted would be the preferred choice.

What is underarm body odor?

Fresh perspiration typically has little odor.

The offensive smell begins once the contaminants starts to decay and release ammonia gas.

Prolonged and aged contaminant of body oils and perspiration with has repeat re-deposition through these 63 years have compounded and reaches the next level of organic activities that releases a foul-smelling organic compound.

The residues of perspiration urea salts are alkaline and resurface as white circular marks and it glows with black light other than detection by nose.

If there is a mixed of musty odors detect by nose than microbial growth has taken place too!

Procedures:

Step-1 Turn the jacket inside out and look for stitch-up openings at the sleeves.

Un-stitched it, and turn the suede side out for a visual inspection.

Take note of visual inspection or take pictures for reference.

White marks indicate urea salts, when shine with black light these phosphor alkaline salt will glow.

Mold growths are characteristically distinguishable with its musty odor.

The previous unsuccessful attempt by soaking with lukewarm water may have dispersed the contaminants and therefore may be less distinct
by visual inspection. Use our nose instead.

Step-2 Dry brush all foreign residue present using suedeBrush3 in conjunction with eraser4 and vacuum off thoroughly.

Step-3 Neutralize the perspiration phosphor alkaline salt stain, by spraying urea2.1 soak through, agitate and thereafter extract with dry
absorbent towel. Where the contaminants have dispersed, concentrate treatment on where the odor originate to the underarm areas and
treat the entire leather and lining surface to be sure we are doing it thoroughly. Where the eyes may not see use the nose instead for
detection.

Step-4 Bio-enzymatic digestion, by spraying urea4.7 an enzyme deodorants contain living organism that breakdowns and digest decaying urea
protein in the deodorizing process. Follow our nose and treat accordingly with sufficiency.

It seems that theoretically speaking the alkaline salt neutralizing and the bio-enzymatic treatment should suffice.

In practice since this is an accumulative problem through these 63 years, a combination restorative cleaning will improve the overall
sensuous result.

Step-5 When the jacket is dry by now, check with our nose for improvement. When it is satisfactory, precede restoration cleaning.

Step-6 Spray ultraClean4.5 a section at a time and agitate with leatherBrush1 in conjunction with deOdor4.4. Let dwell 5 to 15 minutes or
before it dries extract with absorbent towel.

Step-7 Spray cleaner3.8, agitate and extract.

Step-8 Rinse with leather rinse 3.0, spray, agitate and extract.

Step-9 This ends the restoration cleaning process.

Step-10 Leather softening and strengthening fatliquoring process is by spray application with fatliquor5.0 while the leather is still damp for deep
penetration.

Step-11 Where musty odor has been detected prior to cleaning treat it by spraying mold3.6 an antimicrobial disinfectants used primarily to solve
microorganism odor related problems.

Step-12 Stretch from seam to seam for smartness while easing away unnatural wrinkles and creases.

Step-13 Put on a broad hanger and let it dry naturally away from direct sunlight.

Step-14 When crispy dry use suedeBrush3 in conjunction with eraser4 and brush off resurface residue from the suede side.

Step-15 Remember to stitch up the lining at this stage.

Step-16 Stretching and flexing will further improve softness to the leather.

Step-17 Sensuous conditioning the leather further with leatherScent’B to feast our senses make leather jacket more appealing.

These are the steps I shall take to solve this embarrassing smell.

Take your time, read it a few times and further questions are welcome!

Roger Koh
IICRC#942 LCT MTC MSR
Leather Doctor® System
[email protected]