We would like to thank you for bearing with us whilst out phone and e-mail were unavailable. Normal service has now resumed and we are reachable on 01763 848 949 and at the usual e-mail address.

 

BYSON LEATHER carry out repairs and alterations to clothing of all kinds - in fact we can tackle anything from a ball gown to a horse blanket. Though not at the same time or on the same machine. For work on fashion / street clothing we have a web site HERE.

BYSON NEWS...Ever since 2008 we have insisted that we don't "make stuff". There is a slim pretty good chance that this might change - see here for details of a proposed bespoke flying jacket we are working on.

And another thing... We are often asked how Irvin (and sheerling jackets in general) should be stored and we ALWAYS advise against hanging them. One alternative is to use a strong, breathable, moth proof bag - but we could never recommend a suitable item. After some thought we have started making such a bag. It is constructed in two layers, the outer layer is heavy, close woven 100% cotton and the inner layer is Tyvek™, a synthetic breathable non-woven membrane. The bag is closed by a fine toothed zip and fitted with two carrying handles that can also be used to hang the bag in a wardrobe or cupboard. These are pretty time consuming to make but we think a reasonable investment at £68.20 each. There are pictures and some more information here... These would actually be suitable for storing ANY vintage clothing.

MORE BYSON NEWS.... Zips for Irvin flying jackets are becoming a problem. There is only one source and that is from broken garments - jackets or trousers or VERY occasionally old suitcases or military sleeping bags. This makes them VERY expensive, and they are still 80 year old zips. We have had a think about this and as there is no reproduction fastener on the market we thought we would try to do something about it so we have had pullers made which resemble the DOT / Lightning pullers of the 1940s. These are NOT a reproduction - they are designed to work with a high quality modern zip and to have the same puller profile. They are made from quality brass and are combined with an "antique brass" slider / tooth (which does not stand out as "shiny"). We think these are a reasonable compromise IF you do not want to go to the expense of a wartime zip or if your jacket is going to be worn frequently. We also think they look better on a reproduction jacket as they are smaller & less obtrusive than many modern zips seen on repro jackets. These are not cheap (we get them made up in a small run) at about £50 each, but we think they look the part. Zips for some US jackets are still available NOS at a price but we have also sourced some nice reproduction zips for these. Again, they are not cheap but if you have seen some of the repro Talon zips available out there you will know why we went the extra mile to get these.

We are also able to supply a replacement for the elastic strap on the back of an Irvin jacket collar. This was intended to hold the collar up when flying an open cockpit aircraft and is not used very often but never the less is nice to have in place. It is not an EXACT copy of the original (this is deliberate - we don't want them to find their way on to the market as originals) but you have to look closely to see the difference and they are MUCH more affordable than a wartime one.

Although we still work on motorcycle kit, over the years we have increasingly specialized in vintage flying kit and carry out work on modern reproduction kit as well as wartime originals. Some of the manufacturers of these reproductions recommend us for alterations - they simply don't have the time to carry them out and manufacture is NOT the same as alteration. We SPECIALIZE in alteration and repair. Equestrian and other sporting apparel (including waxed cotton) can also be repaired or altered.

 

Prices for work on vintage & reproduction flying kit can be found here...

We can provide custom artwork on leathers and also custom work on jacket linings etc. You can provide your own artwork, or we can work with you to achieve your own individual look. Examples on the "Our work" page. For repairs we can work by post or courier. For complex alterations we are probably going to need your body. We have found that no amount of home measurement is as good and if this is the ONLY way you can go, we can't guarantee anything. For complicated alterations, more than one visit may be needed to attain the best result. Coffee and biscuits are free :-)

We can do some jobs "whilst you wait" but as this usually involves reorganizing other work we have to surcharge for this at £10.00. Very sorry but it can mess up our schedule something rotten but... it will save you a trip.

We are situated in Hertfordshire, UK, between Royston and Ware, and close to the Silver Ball Cafe, a well-known meeting place on the A10.
Our customers come from all over the world. Please see our customer comments page for a "feel" for our service.

It has become complicated to help customers outside the UK since leaving the Customs Union however some advice can be found here

Il est devenu compliqué d'aider les clients en dehors du Royaume-Uni depuis qu'ils ont quitté l'union douanière, mais quelques conseils peuvent être trouvés ici

Es ist kompliziert geworden, Kunden außerhalb des Vereinigten Königreichs zu helfen, seit sie die Zollunion verlassen haben, aber hier finden Sie einige Ratschläge

(also in Dutch & Italian)