Samurai Jeans
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Lots of articles online explaining the softness, a few mentioning extra skew. Have a Google.
Several years ago I spent lots of time searching for a definitive answer and couldn't. I just checked again and most web sites simply repeat what they found by googling. Something like "some people find it's softer". This is a classic case of regurgitating knowledge without having first-hand experience in denim production.
From what I understand, LHT and RHT use yarns twisted in opposite directions, so that variable should not be important. If you run your loom from left to right instead of right to left, then the tension of the warp and weft should be the same for both cases. If you use different tensions for RHT and LHT then of course you will get different characteristics, but you will also get different characteristics if you use different tensions for different versions of RHT.
If you have a link to a satisfactory explanation, please let me know. As I said, this is something I've been pondering for years.
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Are you sure that manufacturers use yarns twisted in different directions for LHT and RHT? Because that would make a difference- if the direction of the skew in the weave pulls in the same direction as the twist in the yarns (like RHT using Z twist yarns), it tightens them and makes for a "harder" fabric. If the skew and the twist go in opposite directions, then the yarns tend to unravel (like LHT using Z twist yarns), which makes the fabric "softer". But using S twist yarn in LHT denim is, as you point out, functionally equivalent to using Z twist yarn in RHT denim.
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Are you sure that manufacturers use yarns twisted in different directions for LHT and RHT? Because that would make a difference- if the direction of the skew in the weave pulls in the same direction as the twist in the yarns (like RHT using Z twist yarns), it tightens them and makes for a "harder" fabric. If the skew and the twist go in opposite directions, then the yarns tend to unravel (like LHT using Z twist yarns), which makes the fabric "softer". But using S twist yarn in LHT denim is, as you point out, functionally equivalent to using Z twist yarn in RHT denim.
I'm not sure and this is the kind of thing I'm trying to figure out. What you say makes sense.
The only link I found talking about both twist and twill is here: http://blog.londasfiles.com/denim-facts/
It says z-twist with s-twill and s-twist with z-twill. -
Lack of twist with XHS is of little relevance since it's sanforized fabric.
Unwashed though. And some sanforised denim will display leg twist. You’re right of course, with regards to quality, that is irrelevant. My point was that wear will play as much of a role as washing, if not more.
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Lots of articles online explaining the softness, a few mentioning extra skew. Have a Google.
This is a classic case of regurgitating knowledge without having first-hand experience in denim production.
I think you’re right about that.
That being said, I read something explaining why it is softer on Blue Owl’s site it also had a detailed explanation of the differences between lht and rht. Have a butchers there.
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The only link I found talking about both twist and twill is here: http://blog.londasfiles.com/denim-facts/
It says z-twist with s-twill and s-twist with z-twill.Interesting. I've never seen twill direction labeled S or Z before, just left or right. Seems like that adds an unnecessary layer of confusion, but then textiles/sewing/garment making seems almost perversely complicated and contradictory, so I guess that isn't surprising.
As for what type of yarn gets used for denim weaving most commonly thought the industry, well, that's beyond my meagre knowledge. I suspect that it depends on manufacturer preferences, and that is basically a black hole of information.
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I bought a pair of 25oz samurais in august nice jeans and all…lnext time im going to spend the extra $ and go with IH. There is already threads breaking in a few spots and the leg twist annoyed the shit out of me for the first few months, other than that they are pretty decent.
Leg twist is what happens when you wash raw denim, regardless of the brand.
I have had at least 8 pairs of raws…3 were unsanforized... havent experienced the twist until this pair of samurais. I also heard that this wasn't an issue with IH denim. Guess i was misinformed.
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@BD81 I wouldn’t say you where misinformed. To be clear, most IH denim is sanforised and sanforised denim has a much lower tendency to leg twist. So that is probably the basis of what you heard. This is certainly true of the 21oz and 25oz.
The one truly raw (loomstate) denim that IH do, the UHR definitely displays some leg twist. Pretty much all raw denim will twist to a degree, because it lacks the stabilisation sanforising gives a fabric.
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Cool. Thanks. I will keep that in mind for the next pair. It actually doesn't bother me like it did at first. I think it looks kind of cool now. I would like to avoid it in the future though.
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If both edges twisted either towards the front or back it might be another story. I know that isn't possible but whatever… just saying.
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The fabric on the SExIH 21oz LHT Grey Weft (SelfEdge/Iron Heart collab) is also loomstate IIRC ("raw") and left hand twill and I got a very noticeable amount of leg twist on them after the first soak.
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Yeah, that one was pretty intense.
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Cool. Thanks. I will keep that in mind for the next pair. It actually doesn't bother me like it did at first. I think it looks kind of cool now. I would like to avoid it in the future though.
Pretty serendipitious but Haraki-san just posted this on his IG. It shows the 19oz LHT (washed, unsanforised), the 21oz (fully sanforised), the UHR (loomstate) and the XHS 25oz (lightly sanforised, no wash).
All pairs have been heavily worn and washed (I believe by H himself). You clearly can see which jeans display leg twist and how much.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BshLIsVHWtu/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ecz1azktegyi
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Fit pics from august before initial soak. Pardon the bad quality.
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For some reason that is the only pic i am able to upload?
