PeterParker

Anybody with a pair of Whites' SD in black horsehide with some age care to post some pictures?

 

I haven't really seen any pictures of the leather with wear. Does it give way to brown undertones, or stay pretty black?

x-post from Sugar Cane thread

 

 

SExSC06 @ ~1 year of wear, ~5 washes (wabi-sabi)

 

SExSC06 @ ~1 year of wear, ~5 washes (wabi-sabi)

 

Some heavyweight super black roping:

 

 

Really impressed with this since the IH superblack denim is supposed to be sanforized, and at 21oz it can be challenging to hem. These were hemmed before touching water and just got their first wash.

 

I had these hemmed at SENY back in July. I believe they were hemmed by a lady. Not sure if she's regular staff there, but I want her to hem all of my jeans. These were done perfectly.

Anyone have pre/post soak measurements on BigBro...?

Wringing my hands over here that I should have gotten one size larger...

Post a pre-soak fit picture and we can tell you whether or not got the right size.

Those are out of control.

 

I hate myself for not buying a pair of the 15th 1001XX

I don't think lighter weight denim, a cinchback, and exposed back pocket rivets are going to be be dealbreakers for people thinking about buying this jean. The adornments are consistent with Roy's aesthetic of subtle but insane attention to detail. He has never proclaimed or advertised himself to be manufacturing reproduction jeans, but rather for incorporating nerdy details from all eras into a pair of jeans that look like nothing from the past.

 

Which is why this statement on the product page for the CB-1 is comical:

 

This is as close as you're going to get to owning a pair of deadstock jeans from the 40's. Literally.

 

I know selling repro jeans isn't SE's domain, but for someone who crucifies brands for misinforming the uneducated denim buyer and other retailers for their website copy, Kiya comes off as a bit of a hypocrite here.

 

I probably look like a prick who's out to get Roy and Self Edge from the past two pages, but I am speaking as a customer of both who has tremendous respect for both Roy and Kiya.

 

Also, those who follow Roy through other avenues other than the relevant SuFu threads will observe that the product photos have been cleverly cropped. I think most people will be pleasantly surprised once they see these in person.

I apologize for taking that quote out of context. I've edited my post to present it more truthfully.

Is the cut a departure from the buck-tight style and a return to a more straight fit?

It's too bad that Roy has only been pumping out tapered fits, which appeal to the Self Edge customer base. From a while back kiya had this to say about the recent SExDB collab:

 

Its very simple, for a company the size of Self Edge its near impossible for us to pull off a collaboration because of the costs associated with it.  It nearly breaks us financially each time and we pray that it sells well upon release.  What this means is that we have to produce a jean that WE like while balancing it with a jean that will sell well, and what sells well is slightly tapered jeans.  If we really wanted to sell the jeans super fast all we'd have to do is make every collab a slim tapered jean and they'd sell even faster, but then where's the fun in making the same jean over and over?

 

I thought Roy nailed the straight fit on the SF-01, but everything since has been a tapered fit of some sort. The "one size fits all" (size down for slim, up for straight fit) spin is clever, but that's not how I like my jeans to fit. I can't fault Roy for combining his craftsmanship with a fit that will fly off the shelves; at the end of the day, he's running a business and clearly he's doing something right.

 

I for one would like to see Roy keep a couple of fits as staples (e.g. straight and tapered), so whenever he gets his hands on some funky denim or nifty hardware there's an option between the fits. He could still make more of what sells best, but by only producing modern fits, he's alienating a lot of customers who have keenly followed his work from the beginning.

 

That being said, I can see kiya's point as well. In the past, fuller cuts haven't appealed to the SE customer base (e.g. SG 1103, Steam Locamotive, RJB 105, etc.). The standard straight fit offerings (e.g. IH 634, SC 1947) are reliable and will satisfy most customers.

Anyone have any experience with the SDA Storm Rider jacket in one-wash?

 

I tried on the used variant at Blue in Green several months back, a 38, I think and it was a size too small.

 

However, the one-wash version seems more generously sized. There are plenty of measurements and modeled photos on Rakuten, but still I struggle to pick a size. The guys wearing a 38 are similar in height, but 3-5kg lighter. I'm not sure what to make of the chest measurements because of the inner lining. The sleeves on the 40 will definitely be long.

 

I don't anticipate that it will shrink too much with the sanforized denim and infrequent washing it will receive.

Perhaps yours is due to a loosening of the bond between mid and half sole (stretching of the thread or shrinking and drying out of the leather) and them moving slightly against each other - I remember reading somewhere that the 8 stitch that some cobblers use on a half sole helps with stability and whites dont use that.....

Do you rotate the boots and always let them dry naturally and not store them near a heat source?

I think this is what is happening. With the boots off, flexing the sole by hand produces the squeak.

 

I can't recall a moment when the squeak suddenly appeared, so I can't really explain how it developed. Although I've put the boots through some grungy conditions, I've always taken care to dry them out slowly (with shoe trees, or tissue, rice, etc. if really wet), never with direct heat. The composition sole is visibly separating from the midsole around the edges, suggesting that the glue that was bonding the two together has delaminated.

 

I was on my feet moving heavy boxes all day yesterday and noticed no discomfort so I don't think it's an issue with the arch moving as previously reported.

 

I wonder if there's a cobbler in town that I can trust to stitch down the center of the sole, if that's at all possible.

Anybody else's White's SD/BH with the Vibram composition half sole squeaking really loudly?

 

Mine developed a squeak after around a year of wear and now they are obnoxiously loud. I think it's coming from between the midsole and outsole; it doesn't matter what surface I am walking on (wood, concrete, carpet), the squeak is equally loud and I can feel it underfoot on both feet.

 

There's still plenty of life left on the soles, so I guess I'm stuck with squeaky boots until they're resoled...

 

Until then, I'll have to remember not to wear them around libraries and churches!

While not exactly intuitive, the SE measurements aren't too difficult to understand if you have other jeans for comparison. Typically, from my experience, the measurement 1" below the seam is 0.5" less than the measurement at the seam.

In order of acquisition:

 

*N&F Weird Guy Deep Indigo (retired)

*3sixteen SL-100x (retired)

The Flat Head 1001

*Sugar Cane x Self Edge 06

Eternal 811 (x2)

Iron Heart 9301

*Stussy Deluxe Slim OD (retired)

Iron Heart x Self Edge 08BK

*Burgus Plus Lot 780

Warehouse Dubbleworks 660

Warehouse Lot 700J

Fullcount 1108-15

Blue in Green N-02

Omnigod 50-056a

*Roy Duck-1

Fullcount 1108

Fullcount 0105C

 

*denotes appreciable wear, current rotation or retired

denotes primary pair

 

I share the sentiments of being dedicated to a single pair at a time, but also of having some variety; hence the IH 9301 and Roy Ducks also being in rotation. The Burgus is my "worn-in" pair. The SExSC06 is my lightweight pair.

 

I'm not concerned about hoarding because who knows when this supply of quality denim will dry up or when certain companies will undergo massive changes/stop production (a la Denime, Skull, etc.) Purchasing has not been as expensive as it may seem, as only a couple acquisitions have been bought at full retail. Even if I paid more, I would feel none of the shame being directed towards collectors. What others can or can't afford is not my problem. My income is modest and I spend my extra money on what I enjoy: denim.

 

I love discovering new denim, rather than buying more of the same (suddenly I realize I need to diversify and buy a pair of Warehouse in different denim!). Next up: Stevenson and Kapital Century.

Really want to hem my 1000xx, but I love the way the guys at Takeoff did the hem. It is identical to the Ware House factory spec. i.e. the actual fold at the bottom where the fabric is folded in and then stitched is very tight and skinny. After soaking it just once the roping is ridiculous. 

 

I know not a lot of people care much for these little details, but I know there are some of us out there that do. I figure I would hem them once more before I soak them for a second time. Figure this way I can maximize the puckering and tightening on the fabric since (ideally) the fabric once folded and in place will shrink and be pulled by the tug of the chain stitch. 

 

I have had my jeans hemmed at Railcar before and they have done a great job by all means, but I feel that the hem fold (if it's even called that) is usually on the thick and long side. Self Edge is extremely inconvenient unless the jeans have been purchased there and BIG I know only chain stitches on jeans bought through them.

 

Ok I'm done ranting and sounding like a complete idiot.

 

Cheers 

You're not the only one. I've banged on about this in the past. I have all of my raw denim hemmed at purchase or before soaking if possible. I know aho is very particular about this as well, even if it means the jeans are unreturnable or lose resale value due to being hemmed.

 

I've also had factory one-wash pairs hemmed before soaking, and the degree of roping on those have been less extreme than pairs hemmed before ever touching water (i.e. that roping you have now likely won't happen if you rehem, unless you stretch the fabric out before you have them hemmed).

 

Ultimately, the timing and quality of the hem affects the degree of roping. The quality is dependent on the equipment and skill of the operator - not all chainstitched hems are created equally. I've had jeans hemmed on Union Specials that have been great, and some that have been disappointing on account of either equipment or operator. The hem width you speak of is a function of the holder on the machine that holds the fold. Some produce wider hems than others, resulting in less roping - I experienced this when having jeans hemmed at SELA, so you may want to take that into consideration in the future. I also had two pairs hemmed at SENY, by two different operators. One was flawless. The other was sloppy.

 

The variability in skill of the operator is evident in a video I posted in the Kapital thread, where they held a hemming contest among their employees. The workers were judged on their hemming ability by the quality and speed of the hem. It was hilarious to see the new hands trying their best with some of them struggling. At the end, the veteran craftsmen show them how it's done, executing a perfect hem in the blink of an eye.

 

Although BiG may not accept mail-in orders for hemming, you can have them hemmed in-person. Gordon does an exceptional job, taking care to replicate the factory hem (colour of thread, inseam/outseam starting point). The reason why he's so good at it is probably because every time I've been to BiG, he's been hemming away on the Union Special. It's a blessing that BiG has exclusivity for Warehouse in North America, because if you have them hemmed when you buy them, you are assured to have a proper hem that will age beautifully with the rest of the denim, as originally intended.

 

Send it to us at blue owl. I personally hem 98% of the denim that comes through. Samurai flat head momotaro warehouse literally you name it. I usually give myself a 1.25" allowance. Meaning that much gets folded in half then chain stitched. If you get your jeans chain stitched the hem job should be better than the factory.

While this may be true for a lot of denim, it's a fairly egregious claim when talking about the producers you listed. They employ expertly trained workers, and I would be happy if any aftermarket hem could replicate the factory hem.

 

question: How did everyone deal with jeans that were hemmed too short? 

Your jeans are not too short or too tight.

 

They are just fine. Stop freaking out about your jeans and just wear them

I like it tucked in, but in general I think that shirt suits a workwear aesthetic better (i.e. fuller cut denim with some visible wear, more rugged watch, heavier work boots, etc.).  To be honest, it looks kinda awkward both ways as is.

 

But as with most MF pieces, they look much better once you put some wear on them than fresh off the shelf.

I have a spreadsheet with measurements of all of my denim, pre- and post-soak.  I find this helps me to compare and evaluate potential purchases with what I have in my inventory.

 

Once upon a time I was monogamous with my denim, dedicating my attention to one pair at a time.  So, I would also note in the spreadsheet when I started/stopped wearing a particular pair.

 

However, lately, I've been more promiscuous and wearing several pairs depending on the occasion (for casual wear, work, light duty, heavy duty, etc.).  It's nice not worrying about people judging me for wearing the same jeans every day, although it's hard to keep track of exact periods of wear.

 

In general, my jeans get increasingly worn harder (like to keep them dark to begin with) so there is not necessarily a linear relationship between the degree and the duration of wear.

 

Perhaps I can contract Cold Summer to help me document my wear .

rightyow77, that's a boss fit.  I suspect you will get more shrinkage with a second agitated soak.  I was under the impression that Oni denim shrinks more than others due to the slacker weave.

 

Also, can you give me the details on your belt?

You'd do well with a hem.  I don't think the stacking aesthetic suits the 0105.  Personally, I hate stepping on hems with my heels, but to each his own.

I'm overseas away from most of my denim collection, so I can't snap any pictures of them.  However, this blog shows the evolution of the denim over a year at monthly intervals:

 

http://strike3.blog100.fc2.com/blog-entry-59.html

 

Here's the end result:

 

Also some other great examples of worn-in FC's on the same blog.

Ugh, shame I had to talk myself out of bidding on a pair of 484's for under $100 because I already have two pairs of WH in the same denim.  Hopefully one of you lot snagged up the J Crew pairs from the 'bay this week. 

 

aho, I know there's no such thing as too much WH in your closet!

Good to see some FC love these days.

 

I'm fortunate enough to now own three pairs of Fullcount, all in different denim: their flagship denim, the BiG contest denim, and the 15th anniversary 1108 green-cast denim (all three pairs for a total of $340!)

 

I haven't handled the contest denim yet, but the flagship and 15th anniversary denim are unlike any other that I have seen or felt.  The softness of hand and weight are stunning.  Both denim feel lighter than their weight suggest.  Shame that I won't be breaking in any of these pairs any time soon, but fortunately the evolution of each of these fabrics has been well documented.

 

Of all the Japanese houses, I like the details of Fullcount the most.  The curved back pockets, waistband/patch stitching, arcuates, and red tab really set them apart (Warehouse too, when you can get arcs + tab but that's much less common).

 

With the low strength of the JPY, it's a wonder why this thread isn't blowing up.  At $240 shipped worldwide, and $130 for the BiG 0105C, now is as good as ever to experience Fullcount!

That's shit luck!  Hopefully they're still in transit, or at least covered by insurance.

Could not resist the temptation.  Wary of the 0105 fit, but sized down 2 should be interesting.

 

On a serious Full Count spree, just purchased a moderately worn pair of 1108 a couple of weeks ago!