# Razor-sharp Trousers



## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

I pulled a pair of suit trousers off of their hanger this morning and found that, despite the fact that I have given up locking-bar hangers, the crease had become compromised. This drives me _NUTS_. I absolutely require a perfect, razor-sharp crease in my trousers. A year ago, I would have simply taken the trousers to the cleaners for a pressing (not a cleaning, just a pressing). But now I am growing weary. I have been reading AAAC for too long, and talking to too many knowledgeable folks, and am becoming afraid to have things pressed too often for fear of premature/excessive wear and the dreaded shining. A fellow that I respect recently told me that he hangs his trousers near the shower in the morning to keep the crease fresh; I believe that this will work but only to maintain an already good crease. My question to you gents: *How do I put a RAZOR-SHARP crease in my trousers SAFELY?* Is this wishful thinking? Will I only be able to get stunning results by risking wear and shine? I have experimented with an iron and pressing cloth before - it doesn't work for me - the "crease" is _far_ too dull. I need the crease to look like a knife's edge. Can this simply be solved by using high-end cleaners? Help!


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

To quote Boyer in Elegance, "Creases in trousers can be sharpened by rubbing the wrong side with a piece of dry soap."


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## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

I see, what are the mechanics of sharpening a crease with dry soap?


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

And what about lined trousers?


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## abc123 (Jun 4, 2006)

Are you guys really going to start rubbing the inside of your pants with soap?


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

What's the problem? It'll just make my legs cleaner.


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## wnh (Nov 4, 2006)

The Louche said:


> I see, what are the mechanics of sharpening a crease with dry soap?


No idea. What I posted was all he had to say on the subject.


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

The only way I've found to effectively repair a crease is to have them professionally pressed on a steam press. This takes some expertise, and unfortunately they sometimes come back with a new crease next to the original one.

Once trousers are properly pressed, though, a trouser press works well for maintaining the crease. It can restore a crisp edge to a crease that has softened during a day's wear.


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## knickerbacker (Jun 27, 2005)

The Louche said:


> *How do I put a RAZOR-SHARP crease in my trousers SAFELY?*


Wear eye & ear protection.

Try Old Dominion cleaners in the Chesterbrook shopping center on Old Dominion Drive (if they're still there) but tone it down a few notches when you go in there- you'll scare them otherwise.

Best,
K


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## NoPleats (Sep 28, 2008)

The Louche said:


> I see, what are the mechanics of sharpening a crease with dry soap?


I remember this from my military days. Mind you I never did this to my dress uniforms, but...

Turn your trousers inside-out. Take your bar of plain white Ivory-type soap (or even a block of white paraffin wax. ) and run it lightly down the length of the fore and aft creases in your trouser legs, leaving a stripe of the stuff there. Then turn the trousers right-side out and iron as per usual.

Yes, this will make for a very nice, razor-sharp crease. Personally I'm not sure I'd make a habit of either technique, but using soap seems safer.


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## Tom Buchanan (Nov 7, 2005)

You can touch up creases with an iron, but you must use a pressing cloth or similar piece of cloth between the iron and the wool.

Otherwise you will get a shine to the wool, and the iron will take out the nap. I believe that a slightly dampened towel can also be used in a pinch. I would guess that there must be threads on here if you search pressing.


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## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

^ 

Tom,

I tried to repair with a pressing cloth and iron - it did nothing. This is likely due to my incompetence, but the point is it won't work for me. Looks like I need to go to the cleaner's.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

IMHO,



The Louche said:


> Is this wishful thinking? Will I only be able to get stunning results by risking wear and shine?


Yes, and yes again.

Certainly a very good cleaner can help, but considering your demand that it be knife-edged, eventually constant pressings will take their toll on fabrics.

Of course your and my knife-edge may be different, but from your post I understand you want perfect all the time, and other than with constant professional pressing, I know of no way to achieve that.

Hanging clothing in the shower can help take out wrinkles *and* creases.

A harder cloth, like sharkskin or other tightly spun worsteds tend to take and hold the sharpest creases. And garbardines can often also. As I suspect you already know, hanging your trousers by the cuffs after wearing tends to let many wrinkles hang out, *and *helps preserve the crease. Whether this helps achieve knife-edge perfection only you can tell.


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## Tom Buchanan (Nov 7, 2005)

The Louche said:


> ^
> 
> Tom,
> 
> I tried to repair with a pressing cloth and iron - it did nothing. This is likely due to my incompetence, but the point is it won't work for me. Looks like I need to go to the cleaner's.


Louche, I did not read your original post closely enough. Sorry about that.

I wonder if starch is ever applied to wool. I would feel better about experimenting with spray starch rather than soap.


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## The Louche (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks for your insights, gents. Clothing can be a nerve-racking pursuit sometimes! What are your educated and sartorially-minded opinions on these pants presses? I am assuming that while they may be cheaper than the cleaners in the long run, they won't do as good of a job and they are still going to subject my trousers to wear and shine...

Carry on...


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

The Louche said:


> Thanks for your insights, gents. Clothing can be a nerve-racking pursuit sometimes! What are your educated and sartorially-minded opinions on these pants presses? I am assuming that while they may be cheaper than the cleaners in the long run, they won't do as good of a job and they are still going to subject my trousers to wear and shine...
> 
> Carry on...


I've been using mine for almost a couple years now, and haven't noticed any significant shine developing. These things work by applying comparatively low heat and moderate pressure for a longer period of time (15-30 min), rather than high heat and high pressure as in a professional steam press. Ergo, less damage to the fabric.

If you aren't careful it can press in unwanted wrinkles, and I have found that it kinda flattens the wales on corduroy. But other than that, it works pretty well.


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