How to soften up new Carhartt

[Comrad]

Since this place has some of the smartest and best looking people I know, I have a small problem with a new pair of Carhartt overalls for my grandson that are way too stiff for him to wear.
Anybody got a good method of softening them up beside dragging them behind the car for a hundred miles?

 

[Hillbilly77]

Wear them.
Work in them.
Repeat.

 

[bobelk99]

Set clothes dryer on air fluff or such. Dry with one or two tennis shoes. Repeat as necessary.

 

[Mule Packer]

I always wash mine at least two or three times before I even wear 'em. Throw some fabric softener in there, too. Then, as Hillbilly 77 said, wear the heck out of them. That's about the only way without just wearing them day in and day out. Hope that helps.

 

[Comrad]

The owner of the pants is 16 months old, I've been trying to get a days work out of him but his mother is still babying him.

 

[kwselke]

The owner of the pants is 16 months old, I've been trying to get a days work out of him but his mother is still babying him.

His mama is going to have to have two more kids before those things are broken in.

 

[kozmic]

My winter Carhartt jacket is 5 years old. It's been washed, been worn, been whipped and I can still cut glass with the sleeve!

 

[Andy Griffith]

My father broke in stuff this way:

• Set a cage style bobcat trap
• Catch a bobcat in the trap
• Take whatever piece of clothing (jacket, overalls, etc) and put it over your arms
• Have a friend open the latch and attempt* to grab bobcat and bear hug it when it comes out
• Promptly let go of bobcat**

*This means a feller needs to be extry, extry careful not to rile it while you're 'a doin' it.
**This means that sometimes you don't have a choice to let go, because it has 'a holt' of you and will let you go when it's done wit'ya.



Gua-ruan-teed to soft'n up anything!
Might not be a whole lot left when done, but it'll be soft, cause' the fluffy insides of the jacket will be out.

 

[bricker]

My father broke in stuff this way:

• Set a cage style bobcat trap
• Catch a bobcat in the trap
• Take whatever piece of clothing (jacket, overalls, etc) and put it over your arms
• Have a friend open the latch and attempt* to grab bobcat and bear hug it when it comes out
• Promptly let go of bobcat**

*This means a feller needs to be extry, extry careful not to rile it while you're 'a doin' it.
**This means that sometimes you don't have a choice to let go, because it has 'a holt' of you and will let you go when it's done wit'ya.



Gua-ruan-teed to soft'n up anything!
Might not be a whole lot left when done, but it'll be soft, cause' the fluffy insides of the jacket will be out.

We need pictures!

 

[jimmib]

The owner of the pants is 16 months old, I've been trying to get a days work out of him but his mother is still babying him.

oh this younger generation...there is little hope for them...

 

[Jessie]

Wear them.
Work in them.
Repeat.

Add a wash in the mix and you got it right

 

[redlevel]

There was a rich feller in South Georgia who loved to wear overalls. Back in the day, most any brand of overalls was very, very stiff for the first six months. This feller would buy a couple of new pairs every year or so and give them to a farmer of his same size to wear for a year and break in for him. True story.

 

[bobelk99]

I buy my C bibs about an inch too long. By the time I wear an inch off the bottom they are pretty flexible

 

[meaneyedcatz]

The owner of the pants is 16 months old, I've been trying to get a days work out of him but his mother is still babying him.

SLACKER......sheesh

 

[hd28cw]

I wear car hart pants everyday. Stiff doesn't bother me. The thick heavy material is nearly indestructible.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Add a wash in the mix and you got it right

People wash Carhartt?

When did that start?

 

[2hawk]

People wash Carhartt?

When did that start?

Yeah, I thought you're just s'posed to stand 'em in the corner when you didn't have 'em on.

 

[Old TexMex]

Stiff is the reason I buy them, and they're nowhere near as stiff as they used to be. Brush poppin' for a season will soften them up, but for the little feller, just wash the daylights out of 'em in HOT water. That takes the starch out of em, and several trips through the dryer.
.
Hey, We wanna see pictures!!

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

wash, wear, wash, wear

 

[loutent]

I generally buy jeans at Costco (Kirkland) for 12.99 - usually they are really blue and really stiff. The key to getting them broken in and a little faded is bleach. I use hot water in the washer - about half full and a full cup of clorox - repeat 5 or 6 times at least.