Denim Blunders, Reflections and General Nonsense.

[kiya]

3sixteen's hems are way thicker compared to my FC or Warehouse. Little to no roping as well.

 

The reason for this is because jeans from most repro-based Japanese denim brands are hemmed at the factories using a 43200g Union Special, currently there is no production factory in the US that owns one of these machines so any made in USA jean would be hemmed using a modern chainstitching machine that would create a wider hem and not create the roping that you see when done on a 43200g.

[bod]

My reflection is that it's incredible how about 95% of chainstitched hems look like complete shit.

 

It seems like there's some brainwashing going on... people go out of their way to get the chainstitched hem because they argue the roping looks better and it's more authentic, yet they settle for a super thick hem that looks just as bad as lockstitched hems.

 

Get your jeans hemmed by BiG, they do 1cm folds. These are my old pair of UES they did for me.

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by bod

[kiya]

 

Get your jeans hemmed by BiG, they do 1cm folds. These are my old pair of UES they did for me.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't believe it's a 1cm fold, it's a 3/8" fold because BiG and all the SE stores have the same folder.  3/8" is about .95cm

[itsbenhere]

I'm thankful that I don't need to send my jeans to BiG. It would be sad considering there's two places that chainstitch near me... I actually was going to send them to BiG, but then SELA changed their folder to 3/8" rather than 1/2". They used to be the No. 1 offender for bad hems, but now I'd say they're as good as it can get.

 

Constantin, here's some more hems I don't think look good... Not hard to find!

 

 

 

 

For the record, I think Bod's hem is perfect, and mine too:

 

 

I think it's a bit silly to insist on a 43200g just because it's more "original", I don't think Self Edge changed their chainstitching machines, just the folder. I'd much prefer a hem from a 3/8" folder Juki (?) or something rather than a 1/2" 43200g.

 

Edit: Another offender. Great jeans, but the hem just kills it for me.

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by itsbenhere

[goodrain]

I guess my eyes are not very discerning because the good and bad hems Ben posted don't look that different to me lol

 

So this would be considered a wide hem, and if the hem was narrower they would show more roping?

 

[itsbenhere]

Bro, that hem is wide as FUCK! Classic old SELA.

 

Yes, you would get much better roping if it was hemmed there now. You can see there's zero roping on that thing! I think you've had yours much longer than I've had mine hemmed (6 months ago maybe) and check it out, i just took this pic.

 

[bod]

I don't believe it's a 1cm fold, it's a 3/8" fold because BiG and all the SE stores have the same folder.  3/8" is about .95cm

 

Close enough by eye 

 

Worst factory hem I have seen was on a pair of 32" leg LVC 1978 Rigid, the fold was nearly an inch with a yellowy thread in contrast to the burnt-orange thread used in the overall construction.

Edited December 13, 2015 by bod

[goodrain]

@Ben: thanks, brother! Mine were hemmed at SELA 2.5 years ago. I will take them there again and get a hem with the new folder!

[clt3]

The reason for this is because jeans from most repro-based Japanese denim brands are hemmed at the factories using a 43200g Union Special, currently there is no production factory in the US that owns one of these machines so any made in USA jean would be hemmed using a modern chainstitching machine that would create a wider hem and not create the roping that you see when done on a 43200g.

 

Can't they make modern machines with narrow hems and good roping? Or is there just no demands and would take a fortune to produce?

[cmboland]

Man I wish my day was so exciting to measure my hem width

[kiya]

Can't they make modern machines with narrow hems and good roping? Or is there just no demands and would take a fortune to produce?

 

No, because the roping effect is actually a flaw in the 43200g.  Other chainstitching machines won't give you the same result because most machines would be newer than the 43200g and they "fixed" the overacting feed pawls on the machines.  

[Sugar Mountain]

Man I wish my day was so exciting to measure my hem width

 

Sufu would not exist without this level of obsession.

[bradl]

And no one would care about spi, or anything crazy like that.

[Cold Summer]

The next time I buy a pair of 3Sixteens I'm going to have Self Edge re-do the hem with their 43200G just to get the narrower hem width. I know, I'm ridiculous.

[itsbenhere]

It's completely un-ridiculous when you consider it in the context of our hobby. Normal people don't care about rolled belt loops, selvedge, felled seams, pocket bag material, authenticity, arcs... But we do, and it's fun, and that's all that matters.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Since I have nothing better to do in my life and I am a nerd:

 

The hem on my Denime 25^th Anniversary is the smallest I own. It comes directly from the with a width of 0,25â€. It’s so small that it kinda hinders the roping effect.

[Rightyow77]

Who else has a 43200g besides BIG and SE? SE requires you bring them in which is inconvenient, and BIG's online info is supper old so I'm not even sure they still do it. Help a brotha out?

 

Also the Railcar hems are supper fat :/ 

[Blue Nemo]

We do (Vater&Sohn) have one.

[itsbenhere]

You can send your jeans straight to BiG. Email them first though obviously. If I didn't live near SE that's definitely the route I would go!

[Blue Nemo]

@ben: the first one doesn't look too bad at all, but now i get what you meant!

 

[cmboland]

I'm thankful that I don't need to send my jeans to BiG. It would be sad considering there's two places that chainstitch near me... I actually was going to send them to BiG, but then SELA changed their folder to 3/8" rather than 1/2". They used to be the No. 1 offender for bad hems, but now I'd say they're as good as it can get.

 

Constantin, here's some more hems I don't think look good... Not hard to find!

 

 

 

 

For the record, I think Bod's hem is perfect, and mine too:

 

 

I think it's a bit silly to insist on a 43200g just because it's more "original", I don't think Self Edge changed their chainstitching machines, just the folder. I'd much prefer a hem from a 3/8" folder Juki (?) or something rather than a 1/2" 43200g.

 

Edit: Another offender. Great jeans, but the hem just kills it for me.

 

 

 

Well you're saying my flat heads have a bad hem... its the stock hem

[Max Power]

You know I'm an enthusiast, but all these hems look normal and acceptable to me.

[cmboland]

^ Theyre going for perfectly imperfect here. I'm just trying to keep it from falling apart.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Best factory-delivered hem/roping I encountered so far: Ooe Yofukuten!

Edited December 14, 2015 by beautiful_FrEaK

[setterman]

 

edit: ..... who actually wore their military jackets etc. in public and not exclusively to the film set

 

Army/Navy stores were filled with surplus jackets from WWII well into '50s, and in some cases as late as the '80s.  Not uncommon for the working class to pick these garments up for a few dollars to use as work clothing.      

[Broark]

Best factory-delivered hem/roping I encountered so far: Ooe Yofukuten!

This, with Roy following up pretty close in second...

[Blue Nemo]

Army/Navy stores were filled with surplus jackets from WWII well into '50s, and in some cases as late as the '80s.  Not uncommon for the working class to pick these garments up for a few dollars to use as work clothing.      

 

i don't disagree :-)

[Megatron1505]

Only on Superdenim would you get a discussion on best hems ha ha.

 

My favourite factory hem, Trophy Dirt Denim. Look at that damn roping man !!!!! (apologies for crap pic)

 

[dwilson123]

I don't know if anyone has posted but here is Denimio's hem job on my FH

[itsbenhere]

Well you're saying my flat heads have a bad hem... its the stock hem

 

It's funny that you say that, what I forgot to mention in my original post is that after a while of being hypersensitive to this stuff, I almost don't even know what's thin vs thick...

 

That said, you can definitely see the difference here. Both hemmed at SELA, same 63200G, different folder mechanism.

 

 

 

To me, the bottom hem look so much better and more elegant, and I don't see the point in stopping the insanity at the hem, especially when you consider the fact that roping and chainstitching is pretty often talked about.