What is the difference between a chest piece and a half-canvas?
I thought a half-canvassed one have a canvas across the chest, meaning if one can feel a third fabric between the chest's outer shell and the lining, then the jacket is at least half-canvassed.
I've just learned that there is something called a chest piece, apparently seperate from the canvas. So what's the difference between a half-canvassed and a fused one with a chest piece? How can I tell one from the other?
12 Replies
Canvas lining is stitched into the garment, fused pieces are glued.
If you do the pinch test somewhere between the height of the buttonholes, you’re likely to be below the chest piece but still within the coverage of the canvas. Unfortunately the accuracy of the test depends completely on how far down the maker has chosen to use the canvas.
I’m assuming you’re referring to vintage/thrift/used purchases since you’d be able to ask the salesperson at retail, but at those prices, I’d recommend paying more attention to what fits well and makes you happy to look at yourself in, rather than the nerd-dom that we all get lost in sometime.
Canvas is often glued down as well. Half canvas jackets often have both canvas and fusible.
Thanks! I did not know.
All of my half canvas jackets(3) are fully fused with a floating canvas across the chest
This is not a vintage piece, actually. This is something I bought two years ago, before I had even heard of canvassing.
I called the customer service but they weren't sure.
Sorry, how is it half canvassed and fully fused?
The fabric has a glued fusing across the entire front of the jacket, and it also has a half floating canvas
2 spier and mackays f/w jackets and one J crew suit jacket. My fully canvassed jackets are fully lined so haven't peeked in them
https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2010/02/suit.png I do not promise that diagram is entirely accurate but for half canvas, see how the fusable (red part) doesn't seem to actually stop on the way up, just gets hidden "behind" the canvas in this illustration?
But the short version is to my amateur understanding that half canvas jackets tend to have a full body fusable.
Yes, I do see.
So what's the chest piece?
A thicker piece of canvas
Should probably find a nice youtube video of someone either assembling or disassembling a jacket ...