Soaking and Stretching Denim

[deadendpro]

The kiya way works best for me:

Anything more than 45 mins won't do anything to the denim.

Soak hot or cold, either way the shrinkage will occur (though it will happen a lot faster with warmer water)

Air dry or dry in the sun.

–---------------------------

Maybe it is just me but I find soaking to be the most difficult thing in regards to denim. Not that I don't know how to do it, but because the only thing left to do is wash or wear. Soaking is the only even remotely "complicated" process. Still totally fuckin easy, but it can be intimidating to those who haven't done it very much if at all before.

[Giles]

My method.  Measure.  Chuck in sink of hot water.  Leave in there until I remember that they're there.  Dry (for max shrinkage in the hottest place I can find, for min shrinkage coolest place I can find). Re-measure…G

[LandoCal126 0]

Just soaked my new TW HR01 the G way in the Denim Dungeon Shrink Sink. Just like G said, I left them in the sink until I remembered and then they hung outside. Measured before and after. The less you worry, the better they will turn out…

[that_was_easy]

Sometimes I hate having an off-white tub.  Makes the water brownish instead of that lovely pale blue.

[Giles]

Possibly, but you get a load of starch out on the first soak, that certainly contributes to the browniness of the water….

[that_was_easy]

Most definitely the brown is startch and when I've soaked other pairs w/ month's of wear, there's only a faint hint of green amidst dirty brown.  The water itself is probably similar in color to Lando's flick, but with the yellowish tub, shit just looks filthy. shrugs  Maybe I'm the filthy one. 

My KMW 1980HD released crazy starch into the fifth warm soak before wearing, but I used the (white)laundry sink for those, where I do most initial soaks because starch is more noticable.  I'm partial to more colorfast denim, but starting to think about maybe picking something up that'll bleed a ton w/ or w/o abuse.  Samurai or Skull, probably, like I need another pair.  ::)

That's about the extent of my (underdeveloped??)process though.  Temperature of the water and choice of sinks/tubs and that's about it.  No initial soak for the S-B though.

[J Cosmo Asp]

I just let them soak in a rain shower, hung over a patio chair–sometimes for a day of two if it's really rainy.  I leave them indigo-side out and then dry on a wooden rack.  With all of mine made with a 42" inseam, I never worry about measuring after I start--anything from 40-42 inches makes me happy and don't require rolling up out of the way. Never had the luxury of 42s until the Original Spin 501s were available starting in the late 90s, so I'm neutral about the habit rolling them up to see the selvedge--it's just not a part of my experience.

[STAN]

Don't soak with too hot water overnight, mine end up like this.

[that_was_easy]

That patch has warped like crazy!  I guess I to will admit to soaking my 9634Z until the patch became deformed, but no where near that!  Who knows, maybe Giles uses extra patches to even out legs of the coffee table…

[Beatle]

scorched patch

[stever]

thanks for all the replues everyone! next time i invest in some denim i might give it a quick soak…. i just didn;t know if i was missing out on something major!

cheers

[maltess]

Hello to everyone

Does the IH634s actually shirnks a little? do you guys think is going to stretch almost 2 inhes like some menbers said?

I am fine with a 32 waist, 10.5 rise and 11.5 tight, all that after the stretching , so I guess my size is 31, but if the stretching is going to be 2 inches in the waist, maybe I should get a 30.

Thanks a lot and best regards

[Beatle]

it doesn't shrink a lot.

And it only stretches 2 inches if it has to - in other words - if your jeans are not super tight to begin with, they will only stretch the average amount. Judging by thigh measurements I would say go for the 31.

[Simon]

My 634S 34 tagged have stretched out from their original 870mm to 910mm. They are just perfect now  . The sizing chat is accurate but in most cases I think they will stretch out a little, if your a true 32 then the 31's should end up perfect.

[Seul]

True 32 - been wearing my size 31 634s'es… Stretching out SLOWLY...

DON'T go with a size 30 - trust me...

[maltess]

@Beatle:

it doesn't shrink a lot.

And it only stretches 2 inches if it has to - in other words - if your jeans are not super tight to begin with, they will only stretch the average amount. Judging by thigh measurements I would say go for the 31.

Thanks a lot, do you mean is going to stretch more than two inches?

[Giles]

No, what Beatle means is that under normal conditions, you will get one inch of stretch.  If you start off with them super tight, you can actually force them to stretch two inches of stretch.

Go with a 31.

G

[thpcgr]

Another noob question.
I currently wear APC Rescues in a size 31 and am looking at getting the correct sizing for IH-634SR.  Here are the current measurement for my APC and 634SR measurements I got off the website.

APC 31" IH-634SR
Inches 31 32
Waist 33 32.6
Inseam 31 37
Front Rise 11 10.3
Rear Rise 14.5 15.1
Knee 9 9.5
Cuff 8.5 9
Thigh 12.5 13.1

Would the 634SR in a size 32" shrink then stretch enough in the waist?  And what length should I hem them too?  Wishing the front rise was a little longer, any fits in a 21oz. that is close to the APC?  Thanks!

[Giles]

32 is fine.  add 2 - 2.5" on for hemming…G

[riffblaster general]

i just got a pair of 634s's in 29 waist.  im usually a 31.  its gonna take a little work but i think i can get these right where i need them.