Cold Soaking RRDS

[ardeetee]

So i cold soaked my fresh rrds for a few hours to shrink up the length and i noticed, now that they have dried, that they are much softer. they are soft enough now where i am considering re-starching them at least with some spray-on to get some of that rigidness back. is this normal?

While they were soaking the water turned into a rust/brown color which i am assuming is probably the starch that was on there originally. I also laid these flat to dry instead of hanging, but i don't see how that would affect the stiffness. should i just go for another soak w/ some liquid starch?

[john11f]

I did the same thing with mine and produced the same result at first. But when I wore it, the jeans still had enough rigidity to develop creases. I never starched them but I do a lot rubbing of my hands on the denim while sitting (I have an office job, always sitting down) and they created nice veins, creases in the front and honeycomb marks at the back of the knees. Funny thing is, I've been criticized for "cheating" by doing this. Nevertheless, I don't think you need to soak it again.

[frideswide]

>>While they were soaking the water turned into a rust/brown color which

>>i am assuming is probably the starch that was on there originally

Yes, during a first cold soak (without detergent), you will generally see the water turn a yellowish/greenish/browish colour, which you won't see in subsequent soaks. This is the starch/sizing/paste coming out.

[ardeetee]

yeah the jeans are still a bit rigid, but I thought they would come out still pretty cardboard-like after the soak. I am getting the creases/wrinkles, but I'm concerned that the lack of rigidness will cause it to not wear as fast at the peaks of the creases and elsewhere from just rubbing against things. Is this a legitimate concern or am I just being anal?

[nairb49]

mine came out quite soft after the soak, wasn't get much creasing at all.

decided to go for the starch, much better now.

maybe i'll get some nice wear marks now that i have to go and scrub the bathtub of this rust coloured grime...

nairb49

[Corbin Law]

hwen you wash your jeans, hot or cold they will lose their stiffness. starching on the thigh and back should keep em stiff for a couple of days

john 11f- the reason you were acused of cheating wasnt for rubbing your hands on em, it was for those creases which looked pretty man made

chwa?

[obsessis]

Quote:

mine came out quite soft after the soak, wasn't get much creasing at all.

decided to go for the starch, much better now.

maybe i'll get some nice wear marks now that i have to go and scrub the bathtub of this rust coloured grime...

--- Original message by nairb49 on Dec 12, 2005 11:36 AM

so are you able to scrub the residue from soaking them? What about when they lose a lot of indigo like the Levi's STF? does the blue dye scrub away as well as the rust grime?

[MilSpex]

Anyone soaked Samurai S510XX IIs? still come out stiff? I was thinking about soaking my 38x36s in warm starch solution for 3 hours before I wear em.

This way will I:

a) get all the shrinkage out of the way?

maintain anywhere near the dry level of stiffness?

c) retain most of the indigo?

[red]

^^yes. this is how you shrink them. your jeans however, will be softer than they were. ive never tried starched soak, but if you starch after soak, then they will retain most of thier stiffness. and you really dont have to worry about losing indigo. there will be plenty left.

[MilSpex]

^^yes. this is how you shrink them. your jeans however, will be softer than they were. ive never tried starched soak, but if you starch after soak, then they will retain most of thier stiffness. and you really dont have to worry about losing indigo. there will be plenty left.

Thanks.....

[homi29]

how much did the length / waist shrink by anyhow?