Lee 101Z 23 oz selvedge jeans

[schitzo]

Hello all

I've been googling for a little while but so far no satisfaction. My question is a relatively simple one, I hope. Having just bought my first pair of raw heavy selvedge denim jeans (I'm still not sure what the correct nomenclature is) I'm curious to know what the conventional wisdom on soaking sanforized denim is. Is that a waste of time or are there any benefits - and if so what are they?

Thanks is advance for any helpful input. They do feel like cardboard at the minute but since I don't need to follow a dress code at present I am looking forward to breaking them in by wearing em every day

All the best
Schitz

 

[Justhandguns]

Well, for raw unwashed denim, most people just do a soaking in warm water.
Some say you can add a bit of salt in there to avoid excessive loss of indigo/dye.

But since it is sanforized, you probably don't need to think about shrink to fit.
I would say, just use soak it in warm water to remove the starch, then just hang
it dry.

I am pretty sure other members may have some other opinions.

 

[majormajor]

There are mixed views on this. I always wash new sanforized denim in the normal way. And they WILL shrink a little, despite the "pre-shrunk" moniker....

I stick to Lee Japan Vintage, which use 13/1/2 oz denim - they usually soften up after a few wears. I've worn Lee for over 45 years!

For me, the 23 oz stuff is just too much - Holly was showing me a pair last time I was up at Aero's place - we both agreed they looked impossible the wear - and they stood up on their own!

But hey - you like 'em, so that's the main thing

 

[Dav]

If you want to give them a wash first, go for it, not necessary though IMO. I just wear them as they are straight from new, takes a couple of weeks, but they soon soften up!

 

[JakeHolman]

Just confirming the above from my experience. If they're sanforized i've noticed a little shrinking after the first wash but this soon stretches out again with wear around the waist and lengthwise is half inch max (if anything). Like Dav, I generally don't soak my sanforized denim before wear. A soak may actually make them feel a little stiffer as the fibres tighten up but, again, a couple of weeks wear and they'll be fine.

 

[schitzo]

Thanks Chaps. So the message seems to be there is no actual need for a pre-soaking, but if I did one that might remove some starch yet it also might make them even stiffer.

In which case, I'll probably just crack on and see how it goes

@MajorMajor (btw I resent you for picking that username!) I'm not saying I like them yet, just that I am looking forward to giving them a go. But I didn't know aero have these? There aren't any on their website.

EDIT: I resent it because it should have been mine! That might not have been clear. Nothing personal

 

[JanSolo]

Usually dry denim has some sort of starch finish to keep to usual initial colour transfer as low as possible. I always give a new pair of denim jeans an gentle luke warm handwash with mild detergent. That helps to remove most of the dye that just "sits" on top of the fibres.

Congrats on your heavy 101s! They are excellent. The sanforizing really helps to keep the shrinking as minimal as possible. Usually re-shaping while the trousers are still wet will cure any shrinkage that might occur.

Buy a pair of Levi's Vintage 501s (LVC) and give them a wash! Now that'll be fun!! (I have a pair that has uneven and twisted legs now....)

Enjoy your new pants!

 

[deluxestyling]

Hey Schiltz,

I bought a pair of those Lee 101z 23oz jeans but didn't get on with the cut. Found the leg way too narrow for me. I wear Lee's 1937 101b cowboys so I'm used to a much wider leg. Trying them on the denim weight didn't look unbearably thick to me. I'd say they'd have been no problem to get on with, just thicker heavier denim. Ideal for winter!

Hope they work out for you.

 

[oldcrow82]

If your a denim head most guys will wear them as long as possible before washing (especially sanforized denim). This helps develop the contrasting fades guys are looking for. Myself, like A2's, I think we all tend to obses a bit too much. I've been down both roads, washing from the start and holding off on washing and to me whilst some of the contrast fading is cool the rigid state of the denim can tear or break the fibers with hard wear. Again some guys like that look, I tend to be a bit more practical and initially soak my shrink to fits.
My suggestion would be to buy a second pair, and soak one, and wear it, while not soaking the other, and report back to the group

 

[oldcrow82]

Buy a pair of Levi's Vintage 501s (LVC) and give them a wash! Now that'll be fun!! (I have a pair that has uneven and twisted legs now....)

Which model LVC's? Would love to see how there coming along for you jan.

 

[schitzo]

I think the fit on these is great and to be honest they don't feel unwearable to me at all. Sure they're a bit heavier than what I'm used to but I imagine they'll break in just fine.

But it's funny you should say that old crow - my only dilemma with these is whether I should have size 34 waist or size 32. What I have is 34 but i can fit a fist into them and they measure out as a true size 36" - which makes me think I might be better off with 32s. However, I didn't buy 32s because I saw an ebay listing for 32s (it's up now) in which the seller says the actual waist measurement is 32.5 - though looking at my 34s I'm left thinking to myself how can that be!? Surely the 32 would have to be bigger than that

So yes old crow I may yet buy another pair, alas if I do, one will be going back to where it came from. But definitely I am a fan of this cut

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

I read on some jeans something like "they will warp just like the vintage ones...blah blah" like it was something cool and something to embrace.

From my understanding this happens when they try and get the most out of the fabric and the fabric is actually used in the wrong direction. This has happened to me on some very expensive t-shirts aswell and I think its extremely bad and just shows that its very cheaply made.

I guess some people like it tho becasue it has done this specially on Levis for as long as I can remember and if you want it authentic, then yes. But for me its just cheaply made clothes.

My deadstock dry nudie did thid aswell on one leg and I find it incredible that its still tolerated.

My ironheart has kept a perfect form.

 

[Graemsay]

My understanding is that the skew is to do with tension in the weave of the fabric, along with the way it shrinks. A quick Google will reveal more about leg twist.

It doesn't bother me, but I suspect that some of the "embrace the skew" is down to the hardcore raw denim heads. Then again, I think that they take things too far.

Griff, which Iron Heart jeans do you have? I'm guessing that they're sanforised, and so won't have the shrinkage / skewing problem. But they over-engineer their stuff anyway, so it's possible they've pre-skewed 'em.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Anybody own the 1952 Lee 501z jeans? I love the cut. The 30's are cool too but I can live without the suspender buttons.

 

[majormajor]

@MajorMajor (btw I resent you for picking that username!) I'm not saying I like them yet, just that I am looking forward to giving them a go. But I didn't know aero have these? There aren't any on their website.

EDIT: I resent it because it should have been mine! That might not have been clear. Nothing personal

My apologies, my friend. My connection is with music (major & minor keys, etc). What would yours have been?

 

[majormajor]

Anybody own the 1952 Lee 501z jeans? I love the cut. The 30's are cool too but I can live without the suspender buttons.

I have the 1930 101b, the 1937 101b and the 1952 101z.

The 1937 is the best style and cut for me, although the zip on the 52's makes life alot easier when paying a call of nature on a cold day!!

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have worn Lee jeans for a long time. They first came into the UK in around 1966/67 - as soon as I saw them, I bought them! What more could a 60's Mod wish for than jeans that fitted like that. Head and shoulders above Levi's 501s

 

[oldcrow82]

But it's funny you should say that old crow - my only dilemma with these is whether I should have size 34 waist or size 32. What I have is 34 but i can fit a fist into them and they measure out as a true size 36" - which makes me think I might be better off with 32s. However, I didn't buy 32s because I saw an ebay listing for 32s (it's up now) in which the seller says the actual waist measurement is 32.5 - though looking at my 34s I'm left thinking to myself how can that be!? Surely the 32 would have to be bigger than that

Always always always ask for measurements never go by tagged sizes. For me a fist would be way too much room, and being that they are sanforized your stuck with that size.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

My understanding is that the skew is to do with tension in the weave of the fabric, along with the way it shrinks. A quick Google will reveal more about leg twist.

It doesn't bother me, but I suspect that some of the "embrace the skew" is down to the hardcore raw denim heads. Then again, I think that they take things too far.

I wouldnt have a big problem with it if it happened to both legs, but in many ocasions it only happens to one leg, like on my Nudie. This is not intentional, but a bad match of the denim.

Griff, which Iron Heart jeans do you have? I'm guessing that they're sanforised, and so won't have the shrinkage / skewing problem. But they over-engineer their stuff anyway, so it's possible they've pre-skewed 'em.

I have the 634s and they shrunk less then other sanforized denim I have had. They have other "problems" tho, like the fact that the front pockets are way to tight and they are kinda loose in the legs and just a little bit too high in the waist. I have medium/small hands and its a hassle to take out the keys and its the first thing I think about when changing to Nudies - ahh the sweet pockets that I can actually use other then that they are great, specially in the winter, and they are now the jeans I wear the most.

I have not had any selvedge jeans skew, only non-selvedge, thats why I also thought it was from using the fabric in the wrong dirction, since selvedge is always in the same direction.

 

[schitzo]

My apologies, my friend. My connection is with music (major & minor keys, etc). What would yours have been?

he's a brilliantly named character from my favourite book

 

[schitzo]

Always always always ask for measurements never go by tagged sizes. For me a fist would be way too much room, and being that they are sanforized your stuck with that size.

I did but they're an inch bigger than quoted. I could still wear them comfortably enough but the 32s would probably be better. So now I will buy the 32s and then return the one which fits the worst. Shipping was free and if I can wangle this ebay pair I'm looking at... I might even come out of this a few bucks better off!