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    Discover our "What Is?" section to learn more about denim!

    Soaking and Stretching Denim

    The Resource Centre
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    • BeatleB
      Beatle
      Joined:

      that´s a good amount of stretching..thanks for keeping tabs, simon

      We can do anything

      http://bybeatle.com

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • S
        stever
        Joined:

        hi everyone
        i'm sure you get a bunch of these - new guy joins and posts a question about fit straight away
        buuutt…
        i have 2 pairs of nudies which are both tagged as 29w... but measure exactly 32" when i lay them out on the desk
        my waist also measures out to 32"
        both are tight long johns, ~11oz, with 2% lycra
        they have both obviously stretched out a bit over the year or so i have been wearing them - should i be sizing down with iron heart and 3x works in order to stretch out to 32", or should i buy them true to size?

        thanks for reading
        stever

        ps: here is a photo of one of the jeans. i should add that i got these whilst i was recovering from a knee injury, and have gained about 8kg since then. they were always tight, but never this tight  😶

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GilesG
          Giles
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          You'll get an inch or so of stretching in both IH and 3W.  I suspect your tagged 29 Nudies actually measured more tha 29 when you got them..G

          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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          • S
            stever
            Joined:

            thanks giles. i think the raw ones (pictured above) we close to 30" and the prewash/faded pair were even wider. so i should be looking at 30-31 for iron hearts?

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GilesG
              Giles
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              Yep, really depends how much pain you want to go with up front!

              "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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              • S
                stever
                Joined:

                heheheh excellent. thanks again giles! i think i'll be going with the 30w for 634S and 3230FI

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  30 in the 3230FI is out of stock at the moment.  Have PI, or getting a restock in about 5 weeks.  G

                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                  • S
                    stever
                    Joined:

                    that's ok - it'll give me a chance to really break in the 634Ss!

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • hecticH
                      hectic
                      Joined:

                      IME, stretching on the 634S is fairly easy and ample, i.e.: I got 38s and they did not wear tight (I like em loose), now (admittedly a lot of wear down the line) they measure 40 inches.

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • S
                        stever
                        Joined:

                        too late now simon! the die has been cast…
                        thankfully i have all winter to stretch em out. i'll be looking to get some 3x works come summer though; it gets pretty hot around here

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • S
                          stever
                          Joined:

                          hmmm, i am beginning to see the merits of your argument simon

                          these are gonna take a long time to break in proper

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • GilesG
                            Giles
                            IHUK Crew
                            Joined:

                            Yes, Stever.  That would be very useful.  This is actually one of the most uesful threads on the Forum - the more data the better.  G

                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • hecticH
                              hectic
                              Joined:

                              Agreed, good data.

                              Quick question of my own - I have a pir of flatheads that have been very sparingly washed (always cold soaked), and they have not nearly shrunk as much in the leg as my other FHs (which were warm washed).

                              Is there a point a which, due to the age of the jeans, a subsequent (first) hot wash would not shrink them at all?

                              Kinda of the opposite of shrinking but it seemed the right thread.

                              Ta
                              H

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • BeatleB
                                Beatle
                                Joined:

                                nope..jeans actually shrink their whole life / but they also stretch..

                                fibers get thinner with wear - and every time you wash them they shrink in order to fill the "gaps"…weird to explain

                                We can do anything

                                http://bybeatle.com

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • hecticH
                                  hectic
                                  Joined:

                                  ok, ta, Beats, cool wash still then i think.

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • S
                                    stever
                                    Joined:

                                    oh best believe i ain't giving up that easy.
                                    worn them every day so far; normally take them on a hourish walk around the neighbourhood in the evening. walked to and from work a couple of times instead of cycling to get some more wear. had to leave the top button undone on the 2nd day because my hips were a bit shredded.
                                    going for another walk now…

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • BeatleB
                                      Beatle
                                      Joined:

                                      the 21oz selvage denim is so comfty - even when worn tight. I am currently doing a stretching experiment on a certain sample jeans - so that we'll be able to give you exact size advice on a new fit. My impression - you will be able to get away with a really really tight fit to begin with…

                                      We can do anything

                                      http://bybeatle.com

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • S
                                        stever
                                        Joined:

                                        hi all,
                                        i was wondering if anyone has advice or instructions with regard to soaking. i've never soaked my jeans before, and i'm not too sure if i need to (or even what it does)… i just normally buy them and wear them and leave it at that. does it help with the aging or the durability or help them break in?
                                        thanks guys

                                        stever

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • BeatleB
                                          Beatle
                                          Joined:

                                          Simple

                                          If jeans are raw you need to soak in order to shrink and get rid of some of the starch.

                                          If jeans are sanforized, no need to soak.

                                          Fill tub with warm water(hot if you need to shrink a lot, cold if you're afraid they may end up being too tight).
                                          Insert jeans - leave in the water for at least 1 hour - but anything up to 5 or 6 hours is fine.

                                          Take out, hang dry and wear.

                                          We can do anything

                                          http://bybeatle.com

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • D
                                            DrPat
                                            Iron Heart Deity
                                            Joined:

                                            @Beatle:

                                            Simple

                                            If jeans are raw you need to soak in order to shrink and get rid of some of the starch.

                                            If jeans are sanforized, no need to soak.

                                            Fill tub with warm water(hot if you need to shrink a lot, cold if you're afraid they may end up being too tight).
                                            Insert jeans - leave in the water for at least 1 hour - but anything up to 5 or 6 hours is fine.

                                            Take out, hang dry and wear.

                                            Although sanforization does include the use of water or steam, it seems that what you refer to as sanforized is popularly referred to as raw+sanforized and what you refer to as raw is referred to as raw+unsanforized.

                                            I believe the only IH jeans that need a soak are the 634SR and SEXIH07.  Both are unsanforized.  Somewhere on this forum there is a discussion about threads bursting when you don't soften up the 634SR with a soak.

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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