LVC 501s

[Cobblers161]

With 33's I find wearing a belt fine, the suspender buttons don't prove a problem, a little cold sometimes without a t-shirt tucked in but nothing real men can't handle. The arcuates on the 33's are worth the price alone, definately my favourite LVC, bar the mighty 1937 201.

I agree entirely about pattern altering it's utterly pointless, leave as original.

 

[stanier]

Well I'm in London tomorrow and will have a closer look at the '33's in American Classics and hopefully they've got 'em in my size.

I'm also hoping to see what the Red Wing 9013 Beckman's are like close up and try and identify what L-2a size I am..

 

[Doug C]

Stanier, I agree with cobblers a belt hasn't been a problem for me either when worn with the '33s or 1920s 201s. Even less so if I use a web belt (blk) instead of a thick leather belt, I've noticed. I think the amount that you like to cinch your belts has some bareing on it too - just don't make it too tight. The thing is of course, that you don't really have to wear a belt, just get a size that won't require one and don't forget that the '33s have a cinch of their own. But then I prefer no belt to show off that nice leather patch :ugeek: . Thanks for the info on the Japanese 47s, because I've been considering sizing up on the US made ones in order to defeat the super narrow leg but I think I'd rather get the Jap ones instead.

BTW, I asked about coating the paper tag on my '55s with something to protect it and well I became impatient and used a couple light coats of pecards on it. It's actually done wonders for softening it up and has made it seem much more leathery and a lot less paper-y and dry. I'd recommend it.

Doug C

 

[stanier]

Doug I've been very impressed with LVC Japan.

I now have a Type II jacket and '44 and '47 "waist overalls" and love 'em.

On the '47's there's a lovely sort of three dimensional thickness to the rear pocket rivets, and the fly buttons have grey zincy type back to them, the V stitch is perfect and goes right into the top button. Then there's that great Deer leather patch and no R on the red tab. And I definately prefer the broader selvage. I hate to say it, but they just feel like that little bit of extra something has gone into them

I know not everyone has found the cut from Japan on the '47's different to the US, but certainly against the dry US pair I have the measurements are bigger across all the points I've measured, the most significant being the waist, 37" on the US '47's and 39" on the Japan '47's.

 

[airfrogusmc]

With 33's I find wearing a belt fine, the suspender buttons don't prove a problem, a little cold sometimes without a t-shirt tucked in but nothing real men can't handle. The arcuates on the 33's are worth the price alone, definately my favourite LVC, bar the mighty 1937 201.

I agree entirely about pattern altering it's utterly pointless, leave as original.

The 27 501s are really cool too. I really like my 33s. I'm gonna be selling a pair of 37 201s 555 soon. The measure 36 X 31 1/2...

 

[siddhartha]

Allen et al,

Do you guys think that washing with soap on occasion will ruin the possibility of nice aging as time goes on?

I've had to wash my selvedge denim a couple of times with soap/water, as they got quite dirty (I roll the bottoms, but sometimes they drag in the mud, etc.), and while they fit well, I hope they'll acquire some character.

Chris

 

[Cobblers161]

I wash with soap flakes in a cold bath or cold washing cycle and they're fine, just don't do it too often. Drip dry or drip and cool tumble. I can testify that Airfrogs wearing RAW and not soaking method does indeed work very well. One month of wearing a pair round the house and the creases are setting in nicely.

My wife, bless her, washed a pair of my 33's in the washing machine the other week on a hot wash using a non-bio washing powder/detergent. They are now electric blue. :cry: It was a very sad day....

Any tips on restoring to a more subtle and less saturated hue?

 

[Anonymous]

I have been following the comments on the levis with interest ,I have to say that I am out of touch with the product and its availability .I looked on the Levis site no LVC jeans for sale ,is the only outlet for the jeans Cultizm and where does one buy Levi Japan Jeans .I hear good things about Edwin ,Samurai but I do not know where to get them .Also regarding the LVC line do they just make a run of 1933 or other years and when they are gone they are gone .Or are they always available in all years all the time .Whats the scoop ,thanks for any imput or direction you can steer me.

All the best Jeff

 

[Cobblers161]

These gents are great for Samurais http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/2nd/br-sj ... -01-r.html

For LVC Japan I'd use the ever reliable Hinoya http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/c/0000000178/

From my experience in the UK, some lines, 47's and 55's, are continual and 33's are every few years whenever they feel like it. It doesn't look as though the 33's are coming this season but hopefully some knowledgeable soul will prove me wrong.

 

[Swing]

Without going back through the 20+ prior pages, of the 501s currently available at Cultizm, which would folks here consider the "best". I'm talking denim, construction, fit, etc.

~Swing

 

[Doug C]

Swing that's a pretty loaded question really, I mean everyone's gonna have a different opinion. I personally think the quality is gonna be about the same throughout the range that culitzm will have, they're all US made. You're preference of the details will be the deciding factor I guess. I read this thread and others regarding LVC jeans and I believe that the most popular are the 1947 501 and 1955. The down side to these though are that the '47s have a somewhat narrow leg (perhaps less so in the Japanese version) and the '55s have a paper waste tag and boring modern arches. Airfrog probably has the most from this forum and will hopefully chime in with his opinion.

Doug C

 

[Doug C]

Stanier wrote -

but certainly against the dry US pair I have the measurements are bigger across all the points I've measured, the most significant being the waist, 37" on the US '47's and 39" on the Japan '47's.

Stanier, what waste size were both of these jeans marked to begin with? (the assumption is 38..)

Doug C

 

[Doug C]

.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Allen et al,

Do you guys think that washing with soap on occasion will ruin the possibility of nice aging as time goes on?

I've had to wash my selvedge denim a couple of times with soap/water, as they got quite dirty (I roll the bottoms, but sometimes they drag in the mud, etc.), and while they fit well, I hope they'll acquire some character.

Chris

Chris I usually go as long as I can before the first soak. I've gone as much as 6 months. Then I'll cold soak. Sometimes I'll do a spot clean with a rag and cold water but be careful you don't rub to hard. After the creases and fade are really set I will then wash/soak more often but I try to get a lot of wear before each time.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Without going back through the 20+ prior pages, of the 501s currently available at Cultizm, which would folks here consider the "best". I'm talking denim, construction, fit, etc.

~Swing

Paul Trynka is a real Levis/denim expert and has written a good deal on the subject posted over at sufu that the 08 and now 09 LVC line is as good as any denim especially the latest that are using cone mills denim. I guess cone has really researched their records (denim samples and written records) and is getting the right weight and weave. The 27 are suppose to be real good as are the 20 201s and the 55s are very accurate in cut and denim weight. My favorites are my 1906 209 coveralls my 1911 333s my 27 501s and of course my 1933s..I'm a sucker for buckle backs and crotch rivets.

I am probably going to pick up a pair of 1915 501s when they're available in the fall. They are suppose to have a special run denim from cone mills a collaboration between Levis and cone..

And probably a pair of 1954 501s..

 

[stanier]

Stanier wrote -

but certainly against the dry US pair I have the measurements are bigger across all the points I've measured, the most significant being the waist, 37" on the US '47's and 39" on the Japan '47's.

Stanier, what waste size were both of these jeans marked to begin with? (the assumption is 38..)

Doug C

Hi Doug, you assume correct, they're 38's. the US pair is 38x34 and the Japan pair is 38x36

 

[stanier]

..and where does one buy Levi Japan Jeans .
All the best Jeff

Hi Jeff, Cobblers is right Hinoya is great, and I've also started to use Jeans Neshi who gives a sort of points based discount system, so if you make three orders (for example) over say six months you get so much off you next order.

Here's link straight to the LVC page

http://www.jeans-neshi.com/mensjeanskan ... xmodel.htm

 

[stanier]

BTW, if you scroll down the jeans neshi page, have a look at the Lee 1942 101b. I think they look ace, though it's a shame on the site a couple of the pics appear to link to different jeans pics when you click the enlarged view. I'm not normally a Lee person but I like the inverted arcuate, really cool, and these jeans really look the the part, IMHO. Just a shame they stop at 34" waist!

What do you guys think?

 

[Swing]

Without going back through the 20+ prior pages, of the 501s currently available at Cultizm, which would folks here consider the "best". I'm talking denim, construction, fit, etc.

~Swing

Paul Trynka is a real Levis/denim expert and has written a good deal on the subject posted over at sufu that the 08 and now 09 LVC line is as good as any denim especially the latest that are using cone mills denim. I guess cone has really researched their records (denim samples and written records) and is getting the right weight and weave. The 27 are suppose to be real good as are the 20 201s and the 55s are very accurate in cut and denim weight. My favorites are my 1906 209 coveralls my 1911 333s my 27 501s and of course my 1933s..I'm a sucker for buckle backs and crotch rivets.

I am probably going to pick up a pair of 1915 501s when they're available in the fall. They are suppose to have a special run denim from cone mills a collaboration between Levis and cone..

And probably a pair of 1954 501s..

Thanks for the reply Allen. Right now I'm looking at getting another pair of '44s or '55s (in a smaller size than the first pair I bought). But I emailed Dejan and he will have the Valencia Street 1947s in in my size soon. What the difference between the Valencia Street and the other 1947s on the cultizm site? Same jean made in different factories?

Thanks,

~Swing

 

[Burnsie]

BTW, if you scroll down the jeans neshi page, have a look at the Lee 1942 101b. I think they look ace, though it's a shame on the site a couple of the pics appear to link to different jeans pics when you click the enlarged view. I'm not normally a Lee person but I like the inverted arcuate, really cool, and these jeans really look the the part, IMHO. Just a shame they stop at 34" waist!

What do you guys think?

I've got 3 pairs of Lee Japan jeans - 1934, 1952, and 1959. They are fantastic jeans, the left twill on the 50's models is identical in weight and wear to two original examples I have. Unfortunately re: the arcuates - the 1944 and earlier Lee's are forced to use pocket stitching with absolutely no historical provenance due to copyright issues with Levi's...the pockets originally had Levi's style arcuates which cannot be copied now.