The Flat Head

[Kyle@TFH]

Here's a concise guide to the different T-shirt lines at present.  Print it out, post it on your refrigerator, share it with a friend!

The THC and TLS (basically the long-sleeve version of the THC) are made with a heavyweight, circular knit cotton fabric.  It has a smooth but tough feel, with a uniform, even texture.  These tees have a shorter cut than other FH tees, and a triple-stitch ribbed neck that's tough, comfortable, and looks great.

 

The Glory Park TD tees are made with loopwheeled fabric and have dual-stitched necks.  The fabric is lighter in weight and has a fuzzier quality compared to the THC tees, but still feels pretty regular overall.

 

The Black Mint TM tees are made with loopwheeled fabric with a thick, tough feel similar to the THC tees.  The difference is that the TM fabric has a slightly hairier, uneven feel.  Sometimes these run a little smaller than other FH tees.

 

The TVT V-necks and TUN U-necks are made with a thinner, uneven loopwheeled fabric.  TEH and TEL Henley tees are made with a jersey-knit fabric with a towel-like inside texture.  These all tend to be slim in the chest and body, with a longer hem than THC tees.

 

Generally speaking, loopwheeled fabrics are characterized by an uneven, slightly variable weave (sort of like how unsanforized denim compares to sanforized.)  For me, loopwheeled fabric is a bigger deal for sweatshirts that really take advantage of the extra warmth you can get with a loopwheeled material.  That being said, there are plenty of exceptions, the loopwheeled fabric on my FH border tee feels completely different from that of my U-neck tee. 

 

Personally, I like the fabrics and necks of the THC tees the most, though my other shirts fit me better since I'm tall and skinny.

 

Feel free to contact your dealer if there's confusion over the fabric, many non-Japanese retailers don't use the Japanese product numbers. 

[UkeNo]

Kyle - Where do the Frontier Spirit T's from the current season fit into this? 

I think they are THC from your description?

 

Thanks for the Guide.

[Kyle@TFH]

Yes, those are THC tees.

[Superblues]

Thank you so much for all this. I have a Joe McCoy plain grey loopwheel sweat, and of course I don't expect the difference between loopwheeled and non-loopwheeled T-shirts to be as strong as the difference between my Joe sweat and non-loopwheeled sweatshirts, but still. OK, Flat Head is honest quality at least, and now I know where I am with it I'm going with a Flat Head loopwheel T. Plus I'm a sucker for rockabilly imagery (I'm not a coffee drinker so that one aside, the diner and bowling prints do it for me even more than the hotrod/auto ones). In sum: sweet.

 

Edit: typo (my stuff is hard enough to read as it is)

Edited August 21, 2013 by Superblues

[cmboland]

Has anyone had this issue? These are barely a week old and the selvedged out seam is splitting

[llvlaglne]

its just a tiny bit exposed but not ripping apart. still fine to wear. i have this up and down my IH-634SRs.

[cmboland]

its just a tiny bit exposed but not ripping apart. still fine to wear. i have this up and down my IH-634SRs.

Great thanks!

[rosarkar]

There is about .5-1'' i can pinch at the thighs (1''-2'' fabric) but I still get the exposed seams like you do on my BSPs. Not a big deal I guess. 

[Kyle@TFH]

Yep, I've seen that on my jeans before, too.  I think it's mostly dependent on the tightness of the jeans, which exerts more pressure on the side.  I've never heard of outseams ripping before, but the good news is that even if something like that did happen, it's a very easy fix. 

 

When I was at the sewing company a month ago I saw them take a sample pair of jeans, cut out the outseam stitching to open it up and practice aging/patching techniques, and then saw them sew it back together using a regular sewing machine.  The outseam sewing is a lot easier to deal with (particularly on selvage jeans) in comparison to something like, say, a chainstitch breaking.

[cmboland]

Yep, I've seen that on my jeans before, too. I think it's mostly dependent on the tightness of the jeans, which exerts more pressure on the side. I've never heard of outseams ripping before, but the good news is that even if something like that did happen, it's a very easy fix.

When I was at the sewing company a month ago I saw them take a sample pair of jeans, cut out the outseam stitching to open it up and practice aging/patching techniques, and then saw them sew it back together using a regular sewing machine. The outseam sewing is a lot easier to deal with (particularly on selvage jeans) in comparison to something like, say, a chainstitch breaking.

Thanks! I gotta say to you while you're all here and stuff. The reason I bought a pair of flat head jeans is because of how much you care about the brand.

[Kyle@TFH]

I'm always glad to help!

[bradl]

Have you seen anyone rocking the eider down vest Kyle? Was kind of blown away at price, but someone has to have one.

[jstavrin]

I just went on somewhat of a Flat Head buying spree...a pair of 3009s and the Type 2 jacket. Oops.

[Kyle@TFH]

I haven't seen anyone wearing it yet.  I have no idea who buys this stuff.  The vest is very cool though.

 

jstavrin: Show us your 3009s!  It sounds like lots of people are wearing them these days but I never see any pictures.

[jstavrin]

^Yes, expect a shot of me in my newly acquired Flat Head tuxedo.

 

And I'm pretty blown away by the 3009 fit--I was always under the impression that I'd only fit in a 3005, but these are perfect.

Edited August 22, 2013 by jstavrin

[Rightyow77]

I haven't seen anyone wearing it yet.  I have no idea who buys this stuff.  The vest is very cool though.

 

jstavrin: Show us your 3009s!  It sounds like lots of people are wearing them these days but I never see any pictures.

Kyle,

 

I was personally debating between a 3005 or 3009, figured that with the amount of length I would need to remove to accamodate my 26.5 inch inseam the leg opening for the 3009 in the same size as a 3005 would generate similar measurements. I actually prefer more traditional cuts but wanted to switch it up so not sure, I feel like the 3009 is a nice in-between. Also looking at a R.J.B 105, but the thigh measurements look ridiculous for a regular straight leg. 

[jstavrin]

^I generally stick to repro cuts, and I'm partial to the 3009. 

[Kyle@TFH]

Rightyow77:  It really depends on whether you want a smaller or larger hem.  The top block on the 3009 and 3005 is pretty similar in terms of rise and thigh measurement, but the hem on the 3009 is probably about an inch smaller than the 3005.

 

The D105 does have a slim thigh for a straight leg cut; I've generally described it as a straight fit for skinny people. 

Edited September 9, 2013 by Kyle@TFH

[jstavrin]

^And that's why I think the 3009 looks a bit better. The leg opening is a more appropriate for the overall fit, in my opinion.

[cmboland]

Got this off another user. I'm 5'10 175 size 42

[jstavrin]

The Flat Head Tuxedo.

[Rightyow77]

The Flat-xedo.

 

Fixed

[cadence]

My buddy just got that jacket! Are you going to soak yours or did you not buy it?

[rosarkar]

Found a website with a whole bunch of faded Flat Heads. 

 

 

Edit: a lot of these are reposts from sufu / selvedgeforum / darahkubiru

Edited August 24, 2013 by rosarkar

[Kyle@TFH]

Lots of good fits on this page!  And yeah, that Denim Gallery page is cool, most of those pics are from non-Japanese forums like SuFu.

 

One of the part-time ladies at the office has the most amazing-looking pair of jeans of anyone at the company, they're really early Balder jeans that are seven years old and have unbelievable contrast, but no holes or rips.  They're pretty much the perfect pair of Flat Heads, hopefully I'll get to photograph those at some point.

[aho]

^Kyle you keep mentioning how amazing the ladies pairs are, you should just post pictures already!!

[Kyle@TFH]

I did this Fade Friday. The pair I mentioned in the last post look even better, though.

[itsbenhere]

Those look good, but probably my favorite pair of flat heads are the 1005s (http://www.rawrdenim.com/2013/05/fade-friday-flat-head-1005-unknown-length-of-wear-and-washes/)

on Fade Friday that the dude is wearing oversized (and they still look great!)  It seems like the exceed series is the least popular on forums like this.

 

Jstavrin, that's an awesome fit.  Since you work at self edge it'd probably be easier for you to answer this question: for a fit like that on 3009s would you just size up one from say the 634s? Stories of the pioneer denim shrinking so much are the only thing that really puts me off from buying them; well, that and upcoming natural indigo iron hearts...

Edited August 24, 2013 by itsbenhere

[Broark]

I really want to get my girlfriend a pair of Balders, but sadly she's not really into the arcs.

Guess she could always remove them!

[aho]

^Very nice Kyle! I rarely visit rawr because of the..."comments"...but glad I finally got to see the Balder's!