Pearls Of (Denim) Wisdom - OR - This Much I Know (about denim).
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You really need to get an unsanforized pair man….
It was an "ah-ha" moment for me. They break in %100 faster, and normally drape better and the comfort is much nicer. It's not even comparable to most sanforized.
I'm not an IH fan boy like I once was, but their 21oz is comparable to unsanforized in break in and wear though.
For me the denim has to be pretty special to bother with unsanforised. I won’t disagree that the results can be great and quick, but you can get that with sanforised denim too. The IH vintage 18oz as used on the IH-634S-18 fades as quickly and attractively as the UHR and has a similar crispy, hairy texture.
I also agree that the 21oz is a great break in. Ironically it receives the most post weave treatment of all the IH denims.
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I have an example for your consideration.
Unsanforized 17oz LHT gray weft:
Sanforized 18oz RHT indigo weft:
Comparing an apple to a pear, the question is, was the hassle of unsanforized worth it? The SG are about an inch too large in the waist right now, the IH can be worn without a belt. So I think it was worth it, but based on the strength of the fades on the sanforized pair, I no longer consider loomstate a necessity. The early promise of the vintage 18oz denim are firming up my position on sanforization further still, as I think they have the potential to be my favorite fade project yet. Yes, you can have character in sanforized denim. Don't believe the hype stating otherwise, it's just more bullshit denim lore.
Further, my experience with these pairs has made me a firm believer in polycotton constructional thread. The SGs really fell apart, and my 5105 were even worse. Wabi sabi is great but I want the jeans to last, or else you'll never get the fabric to a cool state of fade, which is the coolest wabi sabi.
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Yep, hence the apples to pears remark. These are very different denims.
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For those of you with experience, does unsanforized denim shrink even more after an initial hot soak? I'm thinking the inseam specifically. So if you're on your 2nd or 3rd wash will the denim shrink to the point where they become unwearable, or does that first hot soak get all the shrink out?
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@mclaincausey I just wanted to tell you I really appreciate your insights and experience in this area. I have definitely learned a lot from reading your posts here and in threads on the forum.
I know you said you were absent for awhile, but I'm glad you came back!
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For those of you with experience, does unsanforized denim shrink even more after an initial hot soak? I'm thinking the inseam specifically. So if you're on your 2nd or 3rd wash will the denim shrink to the point where they become unwearable, or does that first hot soak get all the shrink out?
In my experience you wont get 100% of the shrink out on the initial soak but if you use hot water.and agitate a bit during that inital soak you will get the majority of the shrink out that first time. Enough to where they won't be too tight after any future washes.
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I'd agree. This is why I prefer to hot wash all my jeans before wearing. It's usually enough to get out all the shrinkage in one shot, whereas just soaking doesn't always do the trick.
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@mclaincausey I just wanted to tell you I really appreciate your insights and experience in this area. I have definitely learned a lot from reading your posts here and in threads on the forum.
I know you said you were absent for awhile, but I'm glad you came back!
Thanks brotha. I don't know much, but I know what has worked for me
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In my experience you wont get 100% of the shrink out on the initial soak but if you use hot water.and agitate a bit during that inital soak you will get the majority of the shrink out that first time. Enough to where they won't be too tight after any future washes.
So do you do a hot soak in the tub (or bucket) first and then put it through a hot wash in the machine?
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In my experience you wont get 100% of the shrink out on the initial soak but if you use hot water.and agitate a bit during that inital soak you will get the majority of the shrink out that first time. Enough to where they won't be too tight after any future washes.
So do you do a hot soak in the tub (or bucket) first and then put it through a hot wash in the machine?
I've only put one pair of unsanforized denim through a machine and that was the UHR's just because that's what the instructions say to do for that pair. Any other pair of unsanforized/loomstate/raw denim that I've had I've soaked in hot water and agitated by hand…about 10 pairs or so. Then from that point forward I've just hand washed them in cold water.
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Now you're reminding me of my Oni 517xxBE's that I sold….damn I miss those.... :'(....and for whatever reason Oni doesn't seem to make the 517 cut anymore....but I digress.
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So do you do a hot soak in the tub (or bucket) first and then put it through a hot wash in the machine?
You do. The site and relevant threads have instructions and jeans come with a printed A4 sheet.
Because the UHR is loomstate it is extremely crispy and dry and the stitching sits up on the fabric. The soak helps the stitching to bed in. Without it the you risk it failing. The soak also prevents abrasion marks from the wash. The wash (heat and most importantly agitation does most of the shrinking.
People say there’s more shrinkage to be had after the first routine but I’ve never noticed any. My first pair of UHR were a little big and They got three increasingly hot washes and two soaks before I started wearing them. Made no difference.
They still fade quick af and have become my favourite relaxed pair. I suspect the incremental shrinkage is due to people being too easy on the heat and agitation first time around, but that is only a suspicion.
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Absolutely correct! To make sizing matters even more complicated I've found out that to get the length right it very much depends on the cut and the rise of the jeans. I can make a 33'' inseam work on a straight/loose/roomy top block cut but I need almost 35'' on tapered cuts. I think this has also been the case why you felt unsure about your 888-UHRs first, neph, as they were slightly too long but ended up being perfect after another hemming.
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So do you do a hot soak in the tub (or bucket) first and then put it through a hot wash in the machine?
You do. The site and relevant threads have instructions and jeans come with a printed A4 sheet.
Because the UHR is loomstate it is extremely crispy and dry and the stitching sits up on the fabric. The soak helps the stitching to bed in. Without it the you risk it failing. The soak also prevents abrasion marks from the wash. The wash (heat and most importantly agitation does most of the shrinking.
People say there’s more shrinkage to be had after the first routine but I’ve never noticed any. My first pair of UHR were a little big and They got three increasingly hot washes and two soaks before I started wearing them. Made no difference.
They still fade quick af and have become my favourite relaxed pair. I suspect the incremental shrinkage is due to people being too easy on the heat and agitation first time around, but that is only a suspicion.
Nicely stated…
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My Pearls of Denim Wisdom, I've lived in denim all my life. I've always worn jeans that I liked and may have considered great but due to manufacturing changes, these jeans changed, and the fit changed. I accepted this. They were Levi's. I live in the South, so in the heat of the summer I still wear them. My awakening was when I found Iron Heart and zeroed in on what worked and still works for me. I started with Self Edge in August 2014, lurked this forum and found the 1955 S and 1955 UHR, which are still my favorites. Next the Beatle buster UHR's became my favorites, and now the 888 UHR all work best for me. It's just knowing the style, (cut) and type of denim that will work with many different body types. Because I like the style type I probably buy 2 different sizes due to summer and winter weight changes, and I still want to wear these great jeans. I just do a normal initial soak, and then wash normally, and have never had any negative discrepancies. Glad to see more 888 UHR's are coming. I may have to get more…....
