Dry

These pre-serated patch, pre care label 502-0117s which I got earlier this year appear to have fabric defects, which did not appear until after they were brushed. Does anybody know what has caused this? The about 50 year old jeans number 16 on the button with Scovill zip seem sound despite the flaws.

I think they are from 1971 @Paul T The 1971 raffle ticket confirms this. I studied the rear pockets of 502-0117s between 1966 and 1971 in shop windows and being worn and the vertical stitching was wide and splayed except for a short period in 1971 when it was narrow and parallel. I bought a pair in September 1969 #16 with a Scovill zip which had the wide and splayed stitching. I can't remember if they had v stitch. I bought another pair in June 1971 with the narrow parallel stitching like yours but I don't remember the colour of the bar tack or if they had a v stitch. They had a Talon zip and were also Big E. I never saw others like them except on somebody I knew who had 2 pairs bought at the same time. By about 1972 502-0117s had become unavailable in England and were replaced by 505 0217s. However I bought 2 pairs of Made in France 502-0217s between about 1973 to 1975 which I still have.

Thank you.

How can you tell they are from San Antonio? What is the button number?

This is from a 1973 Millett's catalogue.

In the 1969 version of The Italian Job the coach driver, Harry Baird is wearing a Type 2 jacket with 501s (or 502-0117s, the zippered version which were popular in England at the time). He is in this combo waiting by the coach and then getting in as the Minis emerge from the sewer. The only pics I can find are of the jacket, clearly washed out a bit. http://myselfpreservationsociety.blogspot.com/2012/03/harry-baird-big-william.html?m=1

Here are some pristine Big E 502s, #16 on the button, with no signs of wear. Enjoy!

Yes. They are pre 1971 selvedge unsanforized and shrink to fit. The pics were posted on 19th October 2021 on Page 748.

I am giving the 502-0117 Big Es that I got 12 months ago, an airing today. They have softened up greatly with wear and the 50+ year old denim has a certain nice slubiness about it.

I have been loving these 3 pairs of 501XXc's since March 2021 bought new. The W31 and W33s have had multiple washes, the quite hairy W32s are unwashed.