SUPERDENIM SMALL QUESTIONS THREAD (Use instead of making new threads)

[NilsLW]

@AlientoyWorkmachine I also try to collect one physical thing only, had a serious amount of cassette tapes but decided that vinyl was to be my one thing, looks cleaner in the shelves anyways. Important to keep the hoarding tendencies in check or else my stuff starts to own me lol

[81FXR]

Speaking of glasses, I just put a brand new pair of Effector Tone up on eBay. 
 

Ordered from Japan and forgot to check their return policy… they’re too big for me so hopefully they’ll go to a good home!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276751804209?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=s1tcXJG_Q7W&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=s1tcXJG_Q7W&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Edited November 26, 2024 by 81FXR

[Alec Leamas]

@81FXR that's a lovely pair of glasses! How big exactly are they? I've a large bonce on me!

[81FXR]

55 minutes ago, Alec Leamas said:

@81FXR that's a lovely pair of glasses! How big exactly are they? I've a large bonce on me!

Thanks, yeah it’s the first pair of Effector I’ve seen in person and the quality is brilliant as expected. On a par with Tart, even slightly thicker acetate. 

It was a bit of a risk as my usual glasses are 46 x 22. They’re too wide for both my bridge and face.

According to the product page they’re 47mm lens x 24mm bridge which seems accurate.

Overall width is 149mm although tricky to measure exactly due to the curve. 

Arm length is about 145mm measuring with the ruler flat on the top.

 

 

 

[jeash90]

Just got my first pair of unsanforized denim in the mail today, Denime Lot 224. I have been reading a bit on here/reddit about washing them and am wondering what opinions are on best practices. They are quite big, so I am looking for the advertised 2-2.5" shrinkage in waist etc. Should I soak in hot water and then cold wash, or just hot wash right away? If I soak, how long would you recommend? Thanks in advance! Also, sorry I know there isn't one answer for this question and there are posts in the archives here for sure, just curious what current thoughts are.

[exaptavist]

@jeash90

turn jeans inside out, soak in warm to hot tap water in the sink or bath until saturated, then while still wet and pliable put them in the washing machine still inside out on a 40°C cycle with either spin set to absolute minimum or stop the machine before the spin, pull them out hang dry and stay away from reddit 👍

Note this is for a front loading machine as we have in the UK, experience may differ across the pond but the last bit remains true 😄

 

Edited December 2, 2024 by exaptavist

[reallypeacedoff]

I put my 220A XX in the washing machine on hot (unsure of temp for that machine), air dried, and repeated again to get max shrinkage. Totally fine!

[Talan]

10 hours ago, jeash90 said:

Just got my first pair of unsanforized denim in the mail today, Denime Lot 224. I have been reading a bit on here/reddit about washing them and am wondering what opinions are on best practices. They are quite big, so I am looking for the advertised 2-2.5" shrinkage in waist etc. Should I soak in hot water and then cold wash, or just hot wash right away? If I soak, how long would you recommend? Thanks in advance! Also, sorry I know there isn't one answer for this question and there are posts in the archives here for sure, just curious what current thoughts are.

When I bought my first pairs of Japanese jeans and felt uncertain, I would usually start by soaking them in cold water for 40-60 minutes. Then I’d let them dry and see the result. If the shrinkage was less than expected, I might repeat the process in warmer water. The first machine wash came only after wearing them for some time. The washing temperature depended on whether I needed further shrinkage or not. A couple of times, I tried to shrink some particularly loose items by washing them at a high temperature. It rarely worked, though I managed to cook a tag or two. Now, I usually start by soaking in cold water and then wash on a gentle cycle at 40 degrees after some wear, inside out.

[jeash90]

Awesome, thank you @exaptavist, @reallypeacedoff, and @Talan, appreciate the help on the n00b question!

Edited December 3, 2024 by jeash90

[rbeck]

Does hot vs cold water really affect shrinkage? I'm not totally convinced because by the time they start drying the jeans will be at room temp anyway. Never notice my TCB 50s being any tighter after a hot wash compared to a cold wash. 

I can see drying rates (i.e. how hot the dryer is, hang drying, etc.) having a discernable effect on shrinkage, but I don't buy hot vs. cold wash/soak making a difference. I think it's just hearsay that's been repeated enough on forums that we all just believe it to be true. 

[ATWM]

I'd wager if you cold wash your jeans multiple times (and exactly how many I'm not sure - but 5 seems like a good guess), they'll end up about the same place as if you hot wash them once. I've never owned the same exact jeans and denim twice, but if I only ever cold wash and hang dry, I tend to keep seeing shrinkage for longer than if I start out with a hot wash. If you're the sort of person who washes only after 6 months and then only a few months after that, for the majority of the life of the jeans you may not have gotten all of the shrink out. 

Edited December 3, 2024 by AlientoyWorkmachine

[Double 0 Soul]

You def get more shrinkage with a hot wash than you do with a cold wash and not just jeans, cotton t-shirts too.. i've worn the same jeans and Gildan tees for years in both home and workshop environment, in order to get my work clothing even close to clean, it needs washing at 40°C, the white tees at 60°C..  the tees are tight when i put them on but stretch back with wear.. whereas my clothing worn at home washed at 30°C doesn't shrink as much, the tees hardly shrink at all.. my clothing doesn't dry at room temp, it dries outdoors on the washing line.

[rbeck]

I washed my 50s about once a month (sometimes more frequently) when they were my main pair. Once they plateau'd with shrinkage and I was at a point where washing them brought the waist back in I never noticed any difference between hot and cold with respect to how tight they were post wash. But I suppose if we're talking about getting all the initial shrink out then maybe it does factor in like how a hot shower makes your fingers prune faster than a cold shower. 

What do I know anyway? 

Edit: @Double 0 Soul your reply went through while I was still typing this one. Thats a convincing enough statement! Gildan tees do get a significant amount of shrinkage, so thats a good baseline imo. 

Edited December 3, 2024 by rbeck

[Maynard Friedman]

Try washing two identical woollen jumpers, one at 20°C and one at 90°C and see if there’s any difference in shrinkage 😆

[exaptavist]

/\ this.

Fabric stability is absolutely affected by temperature .... in my opinion 
Whether that is water temperature, or drying temperature is your experiment. 
But unfortunately - as intimated, rightly, above - experience no matter how much it's repeated (and reddited* ) amounts to little more than anecdotal on a scale of research. Find a meta-analysis. 
 

[JohnM]

5 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Try washing two identical woollen jumpers, one at 20°C and one at 90°C and see if there’s any difference in shrinkage 😆

Maynard, you are clearly a man of science.  I've had a Manhattan just now, so am a bit relaxed with the keyboard 😉

Edited December 4, 2024 by JohnM

[skrimage]

i have a pair of sugarcane honolulus with the 50/50 cotton/sugarcane blend. does anyone know anything about the shrinkage difference between them and a 100% cotton pair?

Edited December 4, 2024 by skrimage

[julian-wolf]

There’s lots of different 100% cotton jeans that shrink different amounts, so I’m not sure what sort of comparison you’re looking for. In my memory the Hawaii shrunk a pretty average amount in the wash, maybe a little more than average in the dryer

[Cold Summer]

If I'm starting on a fresh pair of unsanforized jeans, I usually turn them inside out, give them a hot wash in the machine, with soap, low spin to get out excess water, and then hang dry. Between the water temperature, agitation, and soap, I find that this gets all the "natural" shrinkage out at once. It's also extremely simple and convenient.

Like others have said, there will be less shrinkage with a cold wash, or with just soaking in cold or hot water in a bucket, bath tub, etc., but there will be additional shrinkage that comes out with future washes until it reaches the fully "natural" shrunk state, and it's better to get it all out of the way at once. For one, if your jeans are going to end up too small for you, you should find out right away rather than after you've already put time and effort into them, but it's also pretty annoying if your jeans shrink further, and your creases no longer line up with the fades you already put into your jeans.

If you tumble dry, you can get additional shrinkage beyond that which would occur with just a wash + hang dry routine, which can be handy if you've hot washed and they're still a little big. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. Some people like what tumble drying does to the patch, stitching, and texture of the denim, but I don't.

[reubensangwich]

Any recs on a faithful Type 1 or 2 repro regarding fit? They're all too long in the body and too tight in the arms/shoulders. Currently wearing a Sugar Cane 1953 Type 2 in a 38 that I wish was an inch shorter in the body and an inch wider in the shoulders.

[ATWM]

It's a real wild goose chase but if you can find an Ooe Yofukuten CR-07 jacket - they've popped up on the Japanese auction sites intermittently though I stopped looking - (it's the only type 2 they've made I think), it will fit the bill. I've got that 1953 (wool lined version) in a 38 and my size 40 Ooe jacket is basically how you describe - shorter in the body (probably more like 2 inches) and wider in the shoulders. Not a repro but the Mister Freedom Ranch Blouse (in a 38) fits me close to that way also. Also, Freewheelers jackets (507xx in size 38 measures 22.75") tend to be pretty good with proportion compared to vintage IMO. I'm just mentioning ones I own - there are a lot more out there.

Worth mentioning that I think SC had 2 versions of the 1953 though, one longer in the body than the other. 

[Double 0 Soul]

2 hours ago, reubensangwich said:

Any recs on a faithful Type 1 or 2 repro regarding fit? They're all too long in the body and too tight in the arms/shoulders. Currently wearing a Sugar Cane 1953 Type 2 in a 38 that I wish was an inch shorter in the body and an inch wider in the shoulders.

Not exactly a Type 1.. but if you're looking for somthing similar with a short body and wide shoulders, the LVC 1880s triple pleat is as short as they come.. if i remember rightly @Maynard Friedman has a size 40 for sale which should fit the bill, it was recommended you size up.

[reubensangwich]

@AlientoyWorkmachine Thank you big time for all those, that Ooe Yofukuten looks absolutely stunning, it's devastating to hear they're so rare.

I'm aware of the modified length Type 2's made by Sugar Cane, I stayed far away from those. As for my jacket, it's an SC15650 and the length measures about 23.75in

 

@Double 0 Soul Appreciate the rec, but those are the measurements I'm going for post soak rather than raw. My SC jacket actually has very similar measurements, except I'm sitting at 23.75 body length and 18 shoulder width.

 

[mlwdp]

Just expanding my horizons but what are some good wide straight model styles?  They don’t have to be bootleg either.

Edited December 10, 2024 by mlwdp

[CSL]

The Full Count WW2 model is wider than most.
FW WW2 is somewhat wide. 
Mister Freedom 44 model similar.

[UkeNo]

Is anyone able to help me track down a Colimbo (cotton) A-2. 
ZZ-0100 ABERDEEN AERO JACKET

looking for a size 42, maybe a 40  

I haven’t been able to get in touch via Instagram and it seems to be sold out from the Japanese retailers I can think of. 

Looking for the model without any insignia.

Any suggestions appreciated. 
Thanks. 
 

 

 

[MJF9]

@reubensangwich bit late to this... worth checking out Sugar Cane Collectibles... the '43 is nicely short and boxy with appropriately amply sized shoulders; there's a new '45 planned which is expected to be a touch longer but still in the short category. 

Edited December 13, 2024 by MJF9

[mlwdp]

I have my second pair of cinch back style denim coming in soon.  Do most of y’all adjust the cinch and wear them belt less? I’m debating on doing this for the incoming pair.  To belt or not to belt?

[Dr_Heech]

19 minutes ago, mlwdp said:

I have my second pair of cinch back style denim coming in soon.  Do most of y’all adjust the cinch and wear them belt less? I’m debating on doing this for the incoming pair.  To belt or not to belt?

I wear a belt with mine mostly,  although l tighten the cinch strap too. I find they slip down eventually without a belt but that has a lot to do with the size of my beer belly on any given day. The belt l also loosen one notch sometimes, letting the cinch do most of the work. This usually eliminates any bunching up of belt, cinch and hardware around the centre back which can be uncomfortable. 

[Maynard Friedman]

Unlike the good doctor, I prefer not to wear a belt with cinchbacks, it feels too bulky/cluttered to me. I just cinch ‘em up tightly and am good to go. On two pairs, I removed the cinch straps (unpicked all the stitching) and rivets entirely so I could wear them with a belt. One of those pairs were nearly new LVC 37s from eBay that had the cinch straps cut off but for the £30 or so I paid, I couldn’t complain.