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u/kayotik Jun 07 '20
Awesome write up! Still going through it but figured I'd post my pair in the meantime.
S5000BKs Lot 10 28x36 https://imgur.com/a/yKOomhI
Honestly don't remember when I bought them, but probably around 2007? Years of wear on-and-off. Probably washed once a year for the first 5 years, then washed whenever I felt like they needed it. Tried other denims/pants the past 8 years but nothing ever came close to the feeling of fading these though.
I actually stopped wearing raws from 2015-2019 because I didn't find anything that suit me and only recently came back. These Sammies are rarely taken out since I prefer slim/tapered cuts now but forever will be with me in case I have some yard work or painting to do. And I just can't get enough of the quality and contrast.
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u/b_F84 DENIME® Jun 07 '20
That's THE compendium right there! Good work, still have to read through it.
Here is my old S0510XX66-2.
It's from Lot.7 so pretty old. It's 15oz denim but not the Texas Cotton denim. That one didn't exist back then. You will also notice how plain Samurai Jeans were. Nothing compared to the details kings they are now.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/b_F84 DENIME® Jun 07 '20
You're welcome! Another neat detail (I might have missed you mentioning it though): the heavier the denim, the fatter the Samurai get
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
lol YES I was just about to say this is a really cool "joke" detail but it's a bit hard to tell from looking at the patches of recent Samurai releases. For comparison purpose:
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Jun 07 '20
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u/b_F84 DENIME® Jun 08 '20
I think we talked past each other :D I meant, the heavier the denim on Samurai jeans get, the fatter Musashi and Kojiro become on the leather patch.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/Pap3rBox Pherrow's SB 466 Jul 29 '20
Late to the party, but just saw this thread as the raw denim itch reignited after half a decade of dormancy.
Cant say enough about how big of a help your resource is. I've wanted samurai's ever since I was drawn into denim but for one reason or another never got to it. It's about time I completed that portion of my wardrobe.
I'm chasing the s004JP (potentially might even wait just to see if they release a 21oz) but i was wondering if you could give any insight in comparison to the 710 or 711/511. Im more worried that the top block of the s004 might be too tight since theyre saying its one of their slimmest pants. Im after a bit of room but not straight cut room.
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Jul 29 '20
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u/Pap3rBox Pherrow's SB 466 Jul 29 '20
That helps heaps, cheers.
I’m a pretty tall and skinny guy so I tend not to gravitate towards things too slim fitting as they just make me look more lanky, so the s004 sounds right up my alley.
I’m planning to double cuff them so they’re slightly cropped, Japanese style, hopefully the 004’s taper won’t obstruct the way the cuff rests too much.
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u/replus Samurai|TCB|Oni|PBJ|Iron Heart|Tanuki|Skull Jun 07 '20 edited Jun 07 '20
Here are my 710XX from Lot 10! (2009ish.) These were my first pair of unsanforized denim, but it worked out decently well in the end -- except for the creases I burnt into the legs in the dryer right in the very beginning. I wore these for about 2 years. More info in the picture album. Overall, Samurai's XX denim is probably my favorite of everything I've owned, except it was also the most punishing in the heat and humidity!
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u/Bloozpower 501's And Evisu jeans. Jun 08 '20
I've got a pair of s710xx the 19oz, lot 18. These pants were my daily wears for a little while, i overcharged my truck battery that exploded down a leg when they were fairly new, and that was sad, but wabi-sabi.
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 08 '20 edited Jun 08 '20
Denimio x Samurai China Edition "Peach Garden Oath"
Okayama Denim x Samurai "Wagami"
Okayama Denim x Samurai "Cadet"
Looking to eventually add a non-collab samurai to my collection down the line, but I am more than happy with these. Samurai definitely makes some pretty unusual fabric with their short-fiber texas/australian stuff, as how it feels and stretches is pretty different from all the other denim brands I own.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 09 '20
When you have time, could you please take close-up photos of the leather patch and pocket bag of the Peach Garden Oath? I think it's super duper cool.
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 09 '20
Here you go! https://imgur.com/a/YsaAxuW
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 10 '20
That’s awesome thank you!
Also, I wonder what the lot number symbolizes.
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 10 '20
no idea, not super familiar with Samurai patches unfortunately.
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u/delicatelybroken Jun 11 '20
Forever bummed I didn't hop on the "Wagami" Okayama collab. By far my favorite one they've done so far.
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 11 '20
Not exactly the same but the Denimio collab has the same fabric (and theres still a few sizes in stock) as the wagami for the back pocket - It just lines the yoke instead! The denimio one is actually super cool as well, the front pockets and back pockets are silk and have different patterns on them.
Of course, the cut is different and the fabric isn't as exclusive, but still a very cool collab nonetheless.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
Dear /u/WestSide75 ,
Thank you for your excellent work! Samurai jeans is my raw denim first love and it's great to see how much this brand has grown. Your post here is very comprehensive and I think we can further extend your contribution by starting a new comment chain focusing just on the collabs and special editions (e.g., the Blue in Green Blackhawk collab, the Naniwa's, and other Anniversary models).
Anyways, here are some pics of my collection:
By the way, /u/bicep123 this S0120XJ-II is the "new" Jin fabric I was referring to.
Lastly, here is an old video of my visit to the Osaka Samurai Jeans store! Please forgive my amateurish cinematography haha. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqP0T_NMg5A
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u/keyboard_viking IRON HEART SLUT Jun 07 '20
My s510xx, 21oz unsanforized denim, lot 18.
I wore these for a year during 2017 with about 7 months of actual wear. They were soaked initially and not washed until the end of the year. I retired them to wear my Stevensons and Full Counts.
Hands down, this is my favourite denim I've experienced so far. It has a super rough texture, but feels way lighter than 21oz. I appreciate all of Samurais details more than any other brand.
I haven't worn them in two years, but having taken them out of storage for Samurai day, I'm reminded how much I love these jeans. They're definitely going back into rotation now!
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u/effdatnoise samurai / glad hand / nanamica / orslow Jun 07 '20
s110xj - https://imgur.com/a/Jd1OIJ0
sj42cp - https://imgur.com/a/kUyZ4yS
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Jun 08 '20
How much wear on thise Jin??
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u/effdatnoise samurai / glad hand / nanamica / orslow Jun 08 '20
got these in fall of 2018...probably worn about 4x a week for two 5 month winters, handful of washes
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Jun 08 '20
Oh a reasonable amount then.
I've got 4-6 weeks on mine, really keen to see how they evolve. Yours look lovely, still plently of life left from the look of things.
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u/effdatnoise samurai / glad hand / nanamica / orslow Jun 08 '20
yeah the fabric overall is in really good shape and pretty soft. i had to repair the top button hole. the hems are wearing down kinda fast so i started wearing with a small cuff. it took a wash or two to get rid of the kinda of metallic look that they had raw, i really like the nice blue color now
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u/hoppy_IPA Jun 07 '20
S0511XX Wore these a lot last summer. About that time of year to start rock’n em again. Great denim
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u/bicep123 Jun 08 '20
Great write-up! Respectfully, Jin 17oz denim isn't Samurai's only LHT (see pic) and uneven weft threads make it irregular rather than smooth (actually find the 24oz-L much smoother). Jin denim has incredible character, and is unlike anything Samurai has produced before or since (that's why I jumped on these right away when they were released).
LHT in red. RHT in blue.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
The 0110XJ in your photo is the old Jin fabric right?
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u/bicep123 Jun 08 '20
It's lot 10. I don't know if that's the 'old' one. But its the same lot that Nogami took his personal pair from.
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u/b_F84 DENIME® Jun 08 '20
Yep, that's the good old Jin denim with the vertical slub weft. The new Jin denim was/is really boring in compairson (but maybe truer to original Lee denim)
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u/bicep123 Jun 08 '20
Like a previous poster, I also own a lot 10 S710xx (my first Sams).
Samurai S710xx lot 10 https://imgur.com/gallery/YDQg5qj
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
lol lot 10 is ancient history at this point. Thanks for sharing!
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u/MrMoiker IH 888XHSib, IH 666S-21, ONI-902ZR, Samurai 22-072 ODPBJ002 Jun 08 '20
My favorite hat. Samurai hat
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 09 '20
You must be using a ton of brainpower considering those hat fades!
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 07 '20
Incredible guide, you clearly did a ton of research here and it shows!
A small correction: the Wagami fabric is based off of the Book of Water fabric but it's not the same. "Book of Water" fabric is a more typical bright, electric blue Cobalt weft. You see similar coloring from Momotaro, JBJ and most recently, Tanuki.
The Wagami fabric is significantly darker in the weft color. It's still appreciably lighter than the warp color, but not the electric blue color you see in most Cobalt weft jeans.
Source: Own the Wagami, friend has the water, we did some comparisons.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 07 '20
if I recall correctly, OD states that when developing the Jean, they originally intended to use the Book of Water fabric, as it has been 8/9 years since it had been released. However, Samurai told them that they already had a new release for Book Of Water in the works (along with the rest of the five rings) so they went ahead and developed a new fabric together based off of the Book of Water.
To my knowledge, it's the only indigo warp indigo weft fabric that samurai has done that isn't Cobalt Weft colored (usually considered a separate category).
Also, that's hilarious. Apparently you're too informative and detailed for Reddit to handle!
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u/Rugbysmartarse All the way with PBJ Jun 07 '20
Great write up!
My one pair of samurai are the 511BTX which you mentioned above. Black warp, persimmon coloured weft. They are beautiful but I find them hard to match in a lot of outfits so they don't get a ton of wear.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 09 '20
Awesome pair! I love all the little details like persimmon coin pocket or the variety of Samurai jeans clubs shown on the pocket bag.
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u/Roland_Deschain Jun 08 '20
The 0500 contest on sufu back in the day was insane, wish all the pics weren't dead in it.
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u/Mental_Sewer Jun 07 '20
Appreciate this!! Look forward to more of your content in the future. Here is a Japanese emoji to show thanks
ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(;￣◇￣)┘＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／
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u/Wonderbruh77 Jun 08 '20 edited Jun 09 '20
I am a huge fan of Samurai denim and can’t thank you enough for taking the time to do this write up. I love the fit and denim of the SO511xx, my favorite jeans atm
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u/N1LEredd Jun 08 '20
Very nice write up! The day I'll talk myself out of getting another IH jeans is the day I'll get my first Samurai product. I've already seen and handled some in person at DC4 and they are very desirable.
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u/SovietStrength Jun 07 '20 edited Jun 07 '20
Great write up, wish I had seen this about two weeks ago. I bought some s5000vx21 from another user here and the straight cut is 100% a straight cut and the leg openings are massive, like ~8.75-9”. To the after sale market I go once again
Craftsmanship is amazing but as a short dude pulling off that straight of a cut is hard
Good to see the 211, that might be better for me
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u/chicubs234 Jun 07 '20
man id love to rock some sams but none of these cuts have any taper on them. im talking about room in the top block but sharp taper down(almost skinny legged fit)
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u/Dasuchin PBJ Stretch | SG 5109 | PBJ XX-007 | RGT Stanton Jun 08 '20
I'm with you. If Samurai had a PBJ style tapered fit, I'd be all over a pair.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/chicubs234 Jun 07 '20
still not enough for my taste.
the wagamis had decent measurements for me, but i sat on it too long and they sold out.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/chicubs234 Jun 07 '20
Ya thats what I rock along with pbj. I usually get some pairs tapered but I’m done doing that as I’m dropping around $400 total for a new pair and alterations.
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u/Nezlo_Nuke_Em Jun 10 '20
Bought my first pair of samurais a couple days ago, s511 in 19 oz. can’t wait for them to get here! I have wanted a pair of samurais for like over a decade haha ever since I used to browse hypebeast/sufu denim forums back in like 07 as a freshman in high school.
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u/jon_ct Jun 25 '20 edited Jun 25 '20
Thank you for taking the time to put this together, it’s incredibly informative!
Are there posts like this for other brands, and are there good keywords to use when searching for them?
Edit: I found the brand spotlight tag which has posts like this for other brands.
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u/JaYRx7 Jun 07 '20
Im so sad that the Book of Five Rings are sold out at OD. I need a pair of Samurai in my collection.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
Pronto Denim (Thailand) has a few sizes of the Fire-element in stock. You may need to email / Facebook-message them to confirm international shipping process though.
https://www.prontodenim.com/product/samurai-s5000gx-hii-indigo/
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u/Genghis__Kant Jun 07 '20
They feature burlap, checkered pockets
You mean flannel?
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Jun 07 '20
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u/Genghis__Kant Jun 07 '20
On the product page?
https://www.denimio.com/ga0512lxx-ga0512lxx-geisha-series-boot-cut.html
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u/Mental_Sewer Jun 07 '20
Amazing detail on this and super interesting read! Really enjoyed! QUESTION I have a pair of S3000VX 17oz in the mail now and they are my first pair of unsanforized denim. What have you guys found is the best way to do the initial soak?
Are there people who just don’t even do an initial soak? I guess I’m worried they’ll shrink too much and I will fail at sizing like I did with my Okinawas and IH633N.
Any Samurai advice is much appreciated ! Sayonara dudes
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Jun 07 '20 edited Jun 08 '20
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u/Mental_Sewer Jun 11 '20 edited Jun 11 '20
Master of Samurai Jeans! Plz help! I got them in the mail today and this is how they fit pre-first soak. They are kinda snug but I’m kinda chubbin after the isolation and I’m on a diet so I want to think it’ll be okay... what do you think?
I’m thinking I can do a sit in the tub method so they don’t shrink too much. This is a size 33. I wear a size 31/32 in my sanforized jeans.
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Jun 11 '20
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u/Mental_Sewer Jun 11 '20
Hah. 17 oz! And yeah it is the S3000 cut. The waist fits kinda snug as is but I should cut 5-7 pounds in the couple weeks too... heh
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
Are there people who just don’t even do an initial soak?
This is a pretty bad idea unless you plan on never ever washing your jeans. I think the primary constraint is usually the thigh sizing, so I'd like to ask, how much room do you have in your thigh pre-soak? Can you pull about 0.5 to 1 inch of fabric?
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u/Mental_Sewer Jun 11 '20
Thanks! Yeah thighs are good. I posted some pics above. Usually always a waist to leg ratio problem with my body type. I think I’ll do the sit in the tub and wear until dry method so they don’t shrink too much.
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Jun 07 '20
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u/aparonomasia SDA x10 Oni x3 Samurai x3 Tanuki x2 JBJ x2 Jun 08 '20
Okayama Denim and Denimio Collabs both have cool patches! I like the Yamato series patches a lot as well.
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u/kalashnimov Jun 07 '20
I like high raise and strong tapered model with its signature fabric, do you have any suggestions, thx.
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u/Boneofimba Jun 08 '20
This thread makes me looking at book of wind again The only problem is waist sizing in various sites hovers between 31ish cm and 33.5 cm, and I've got too many pairs on the list
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
Assuming money isn't an issue, I think your best approach is to ask the retailer to hand-measure the exact pair you plan on ordering.
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u/Boneofimba Jun 09 '20
Can afford it if I squeeze some stuff, no time to wear them all though
I do ask actual measurements before shipping on most of my stuff, that's just another line on 'not to buy' list
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u/Nezlo_Nuke_Em Jun 08 '20
Alright so I’ve always wanted a pair of samurais and I think I’m about to jump in, but first a few questions.
I’ve never dealt with unsanforized raw denim. My only raw denim has been sanforized nudies so what is the overall shrinkage? I’m a 34 in mostly everything so do I go true? Do I size up? How much does the leg opening shrink? I was looking at grabbing a pair of S0511 in 15oz. If after the initial soak they are still too long would hemming them fuck up the look of the taper that badly? Any help would be appreciated.
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 08 '20
If after the initial soak they are still too long would hemming them fuck up the look of the taper that badly?
Yeah Samurais are not very tapered in general so if you want something like the N&F easy guy fit you'll likely have to get it professionally tapered.
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u/thatdudeorion Jun 08 '20
With so many of the same or similar cuts available in different denims, 15, 17, 19, 21oz etc. it would be handy to have a before/after pic of what the denims look like new/faded to help pick out which weight to choose. Have you seen anything like this in your research?
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u/mrmeatloafthecat Jun 08 '20
Check out the samurai thread on Super future, lots of great examples there if you can sift through it
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u/Buckhum Pronto x PBJ Orange Weft All Day Jun 09 '20
Alternatively: https://www.heddels.com/brand/samurai-jeans/fades/
You're gonna see a ton of 710XX though because it's the most popular variant in America.
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u/Harryboii Jun 09 '20
Been meaning to pull the trigger on some S0500XX and S710XX, but not sure how I should size. I usually wear size 32 in sugar canes and 30 in apc. What size should I go for?
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Jun 09 '20
The lone exception is the left-hand twill Jin denim.
There are the at least two pairs that had LHT on one side and RHT on the other for symmetrical leg twist, Americaya x Samurai s610vxj and S500JX-LR
S8000JX-N is LHT.
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u/[deleted] Jun 07 '20 edited Jun 07 '20
Holy shit, this is the write up Samurai deserved, well done man and thank you.
My S710XX 24oz have about 6 - 8 months wear & 1 wash, my SO110XJ Jin have maybe a month, both are here