tdj

Just bought a pair of NSXT "SEN" 16.5oz Stretch Selvedge - Extreme Tapered Fit from Blue Owl.  Loving the taper (it's pretty intense - if it was any skinnier, I wouldn't be able to get my feet through).  Loving the hairiness.  The slub is moderate - not the slubbiest of denims, but not uniform, either.  I will say, however, that these things are not "easy" to fade.  Normally I start seeing some pocket fades by the first week (e.g. Samurai, Momotaro, IH), but these just won't bleed blue!  I guess the one-wash really got the indigo to adhere well.  Anyone else experiencing this?

This is a fabulous post.  Thanks in advance.

I'm heading to Tokyo in 10/2017 (assuming that section of Asia is still politically stable) and am hoping to pick up some denim while I'm there.  These shops are all fabulous, but does anyone have any suggestions for a shop that would sell some unique-to-Japan black denim?  Which brands/shops should I consider?

Thanks!

On 3/10/2017 at 5:22 AM, Max Power said:

Two  old pairs I didn't post in a while: 500OG, 16 oz organic denim & 5000VX 21 oz. The OG denim faded really nice, too bad that all the models ran pretty small in size. The 21 oz has super high contrast, not what I like these days anymore.

 

Is it usual for the VX 21oz fabric to have such high contrast fades?  Or is that just relative to other Samurai fabrics?  

Or you could remove part of the arc.  It's the one loop-de-loop arc that really bothers me about TFH - just take that one out (or just remove that one lasso-looking part) and I'm sure it'd be fine ... but I know this is blasphemous - so don't do it ...

I have a pair of BOM003 which I believe has 14.7oz fabric.  It had very little stretch - I had to use a "waist stretcher" for my second soak because I wanted to ensure it didn't shrink more after it stretched out.

Loving seeing the right-sided leg twist on these left-hand-twill denim.  Looks great, guys!  Makes me wish I was close enough to try them on - any thoughts about a Rivet & Hide USA store?  ha ha.

Question for the board: for the "VX" fabric - how similar is the VX-branded fabric between the different weight categories?  Does it feel the same in terms of slub?  Do they fade similarly?  

I ask because I have two observations from my s711vx21oz:

1)  It's a pretty 'soft'-feeling denim.  I'm not getting the strong creases and fades that I had with another pair of loom state IH's I have, which are so stiff that I can hear the denim folding/crunching with every step (despite multiple rinses).  I was just a little surprised as I have seen some pretty impressive whiskers and honeycombs with the VX denim, while I think mine is heading more towards a "vintage" look instead of having strong contrast (doesn't really matter to me - just wanted to know for future purchases!)

2)  Overall, mine are definitely not having the usual "the indigo just falls right off"reaction that i've heard some samurais are capable of.  Definitely slower than my IH and my Momotaros.  

 I did knee down.

I have a pair of 711vx21 and I also had Railcar work their magic on a taper (it had a great top block, but big from knees down).  They did a great job!

I can confirm how great this service is as well. Railcar tapered a pair of Sugar Cane 2009 for me and the were perfect.

Ordering the service from their website was easy as well, the form has all the right questions for you to detail exactly where and how much you want the jeans tapered.

Railcar tapered a pair of flat heads for me and did a wonderful job. Highly recommended.

Will do Taylor.

Also have three pairs to send in for chain stitch hem.

Steven did an amazing job on my last taper and hems. Thank you.

Yep i have had a couple of pairs done to a very high standard by you guys. 

I've had 2 very different experiences with Railcar alterations. First pair was a pair of spikes that I sized wrong on. Taylor was really helpful and also kindly offered to replace the leather patch I'd ruined with the hot soak. I had a full downsize and taper done. The taper was spot on, no sign of an alteration at all. The waist down size was a different matter though. The old waist band was replaced with one that was at the very least 2 sizes smaller and left two little pleats in the top of the pocket openings that just looked wrong and left the jeans to small even after trying some serious stretching attempts. Also the fly piece that covers the button fly looked as if it hadn't quite been tucked in properly before re attaching the waistband so had a tuck/fold that stuck out and exposed the button's, made it look weird. Had to give up on them, cost of jeans,shipping and service was written off.

After reading other people's positive feedback on the tapering I decided to give them another go on a pair of heavyweights that had lost a bit of the taper and shape through hemming. Again they were really helpful, the ordering process simple and easy to specify requirements. They came back really quick as I chose the express service and we're absolutely spot on... but they package was marked with a commercial value of £75 so I got copped by import charges!!! Paid £25 quid to import something I already owned and had paid taxes on!

I too have had mixed experiences with railcar alterations.

Had plenty of jeans hemmed by them, and all were done very well.

But the last pair I sent in had the legs hemmed at different lengths, more than an inch off from one another.

I haven't had time to email them about it yet, but also wanted to share my experience

I have had excellent experiences with RCFG - they have been very communicative each time!

My first pair, they warned me about tapering too tight with a pair - I went with it anyways and they were right.  The tapering job, itself, however, was excellent!  My second pair, there was a mishap as they swapped out the Momotaro pink inseam - but they offered to repair it (i.e. swap out back to pink) for free of charge and were extremely apologetic.  I deferred their offer because the lack of pink isn't bad at all (i know, i know - some momo folks would think that's insane).  My third pair, they repaired with a bit of a discount because of the previous goof-up (they were REALLY apologetic), and it came out perfectly.  I think offering a tapering service is tough, because people might have an unrealistic expectation about what can or can't be done, so I applaud their work.

That is what I was thinking also....but they are one-washed. They fit perfectly everywhere but the waist. 

 

 

I would do this but I risk the option of returning if it doesn't work out for me. 

 

If anyone sees a pair in a size 29/30, please let me know!

Life is too short for poorly fitting jeans (so I'd return them).  However, if what you say is true, and it is absolutely the waist, you could always try out this: waist expander.  I have one and use it for maintaining waist size on subsequent washes (I don't play the shrink-and-expand game).  The one thing is that if it's too tight beyond the top-most button (e.g. second-from-the-top), this won't work, because placing it any lower results in a very weird stretching pattern (I tried it once as a last-ditch attempt to save a pair of jeans I outgrew and it did NOT work out right).

Good luck!

hey guys/gals, are there any places on the web that allow for better description of how the different samurai cuts compare to eachother in terms of fit?  kind of like how there's that one APC fit guide that compares the different [obnoxiously uninformatively] named fits to eachother?  i know the first page of this thread was very good (i loved it), but do we think it's time for an update?  or is it still pretty much completely accurate?  (e.g. i couldn't find S711 on there before buying a pair, myself).

at the risk of coming off as a super-n00b (although I am a super-n00b - I admit it), why are there not more places in the US to buy samurai denim?  i thought that SE used to sell them?  but now it's BiG only?

I think the point isn't whether the locations "justify" the markup, it's more of what does the shop need to charge to survive at that location?  Hey man - if these places can pull it off by charging what they do, then more power to them!  That's phenomenal!  I'm overjoyed when I see SE open up store after store - I'm rooting for them!  

I also want to expound on something I said earlier: while I don't think Denimio is to blame for doing what they do (and they do it well!), I also completely respect that ability of brick and mortar stores to approach manufacturers that are sold on Denimio and complain - I think of it is an opportunity to negotiate/re-negotiate ("if you continue selling to Denimio, and they can still offer those prices internationally, then we will stop carrying your stuff").  That's the nature of business - each person uses their strengths to profit the most.  For some brands, they might view it as critically important to have a foothold in America at places like SE.  But others might not care at all, telling our brick and mortar stores to just suck it up.  So then the ball's back in our stores' courts: continue to sell those brands or move on ...

I order from Denimio and OD because I don't have a BM store close that has the brands I want. When I lived in Seattle I would go to Blue Owl and Self Edge but there is a small selection of brands. If I want anything different I don't see the benefits of not ordering from a Japanese site; they have the same stuff plus more details (red tab and arcs) for a 1/3rd of the price.

I agree that it is really hard to fault Denimio - they offer great prices for genuine items, with excellent customer service (in replying to emails, providing real-life measurements [because the website's ones aren't always the greatest], and accepting refunds if things don't work out).  With whom would we side if the roles were reversed (Japanese consumers complaining that artisanal American-made denim was cheaper to buy directly from the US than picking up at a Japanese brick & mortar store)?  Consequently, I don't envy these brick and mortar stores that are trying to compete in selling a foreign product in the cyber-connected world of today - that's a tenuous business plan.

Fortunately, I do think brick and mortar stores have their appeal.  I've been guilty of buying several collaboration pairs (SE, BO) over the years.  And my PBJ jacket from R&H was a pretty epic impulse buy.  Also, where else am I going to go for hemming, tapering, and crotch repair?  I also am hopeful that brick and mortar stores will begin to rise as denimheads' tastes change more towards American brands/denim.

Am I alone in thinking that jacket looks terrible? Second ugly denim jacket in a row from TFH. Their THC shirts are also getting overdone with logos. Dunno what's going on over at TFH...

I'd have to agree - something about the stitching/colors/pockets that makes it look a little weird.  Maybe not "terrible", but definitely not high on the list of denim jackets i'd like to own.

I just visited this storefront today (I work in Oakland sometimes) - I have to say that I was quite impressed.  A good variety of labels and styles in there, and the worker (Brandon) seemed very knowledgeable about the product.  Despite the above pictures, it feels much more spacious than I had been anticipating.  Finally, and I mean this in the best possible way: it seems like a legit store, and not just some overhyped hipster haven.  I look forward to the new shipments and collaborations they got in the works.  

Fabulous job, guys.

(And if you are visiting the store, Bakesale Betty, a few doors down, which I also went to for the first time today, is worth a stop).

FreedomRenegade, what size do you run in IH vs your waist and thigh measurements?  I'm just really hoping if you do spring for the s711vx 21oz that you post fit pics!  It's really hard to tell how they would fit re: how slim or not-slim they are.  I am also planning on going in on a pair.  

I was sad that they weren't included in the Oni vs. Samurai denim competition.  Anyone know of any other wear competitions that I could sport the samurais in aside from DWC?

Bunch of awesome looking jeans on this page!

 

I soak them while I enjoy a nice hot shower Probably got 30ish soaks or so.

You should cash in on your recommendation - develop a fanya-branded shampoo - great for hair and fadez.  ha.

21 months

32x36 MMB

HC - IH - 38

I'll be taking a personal retreat to the desert so I'll miss the Feb update, have fun ya'll

you know - there are a lot of excellent pairs on this thread - but i gotta say that my personal fave is fanya's, which has always looked insane.  achieving that level of contrast without any holes in the combs or stacks is crazy.  anyone know if he's a never-wash or a wash-all-the-time denim enthusiast?

My observation is, tht there are guys who get crotch blowouts and other's dont. 

I agree with this - if your thighs rub together when you walk or if you bike a lot, then crotch blowouts seem to be the norm ...

Hopefully, here you go.

very even, and very smooth looking denim - very classy (I know some people like more slub).  i like the subtle "N" at the end of the stitching at the hip.  very clean.  it's funny - even though they are technically from my hometown, i still haven't seen anyone sporting a pair.  I wonder if there are some guys in NoLibs who are going to do the DWC with some NoPo's (NorPor's?  Normans?  Porters?  Norman Porters?).  ha.

What is the DWC? I have not worn the NP02 yet, and won't until March unless there's a reason to. Would the DWC be that reason?

DWC = denim world championship

http://denimworldchampionship.com/

if you wear them half-time throughout March and April, so this way you won't exceed the 30 amnesty wears before the start date in May, you can participate in the contest!  represent norman porter!

i am hoping someone picks up a pair of Norman Porters for the DWC. 

Wow, these Momotaro's are after two years of daily wear!  Pretty slow to evolve!  (but still beautiful)