Little holes in my UK Kilts? Silence on the UK Board

[Riverkilt]

Posted this on the UK board and all I've got is a few suggestions on how to cope with the problem. NOTHING from the UK HQ folks who usually are active on that board. So, brought it over here. Maybe someone here can tell me what makes those rows of holes in my UKs?

Aggrevating to watch them grow for the money paid for the UKs...

The silence from UK HQ is even more aggrevating.

Appreciate any info from those in the know.

Ron


This is the UK Board post:

Been meaning to ask this. Think I've seen some comments about it,
but never an explaination.

When I hang my Utilikilt survivals and workman's up to dry there are
clearly two lines of little holes right on each pleat seam, both
outside and inside seams. One row is about three inches above the
hem, the other row is about six inches above that.

It looks like the factory laid the kilt out and ran it through some
machine that puts a double row of holes in the kilt seams.

The more the kilts are washed, the more those little holes seem to
fray and become more obvious.

Anybody know why they are there and how they get there? It seems a
really stupid thing to do to a quality product.

Thanks,

Ron

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Without being in the factory and knowing their machinery, do you suppose that it's their way to "sew" the pleats into position for assembly? In other words... we're supposed to take a stitch in the pleats to hold them while we sew the hips down. This may be where they stitch for the taper and final sewing.

It makes sense, but doesn't explain what they would be doing to damage the fabric. Perhaps the wool methods don't work too well on canvas, duck, or whatever?

Terminology omitted for everyone. I hope it makes sense this way!

[Dreadbelly]

It could also be a returned kilt ripped apart, resewn, and offered up for sale. Returned or defective kilt that didn't meet the cut the first time.

I have seen this done with denim jackets and denim jeans. Where the stitching used to be there would be a long line of little holes that would come apart over time... I learned how to spot this as a savy flea market shopper. People would take piles of factory rejects, resew them, add a phony designer label, and sell them at a much greater cost as being the real deal. The little lines of holes were always easy to spot.

[The Wizard of BC]

The other thing you may be running into is holes from the slicing machine used to cut the fabric into thinner strips from the original 60" bolt. I do this slicing too, but I don't have some fancy machine that does it at 20 yds./min. I rember seeing something like this at the UK factory and thought it was a good idea at the time but everything I tried to duplicate the process left the same lines of tiny holes where the tension wheels are.
Don't know this is your problem for a fact, but seems likely from the process used at UK.

[Riverkilt]

The holes do look like they were put in by some kind of automatic machine, but it doesn't make any sense how they ALL come to be right on the crease of the pleats and are all in a straight line with one another...same level.

Almost seems like it would have had to be done to a finished kilt rather than when it was still in parts.

Thought it might be some rig used to show the sewers where to put the pleat seams...

So weird that UK HQ is still quiet about this most curious part of their workmanship.

Ron

[The Wizard of BC]

Are the lines of holes parrallel to the hem or vertical along the pleat edges?

[Riverkilt]

Parallel to the hemline/beltline/waistline on the edge of the pleats. One row about 3" above the hem, another row about 9" above the hem (6" between rows of holes)

The holes are equidistant apart all around the kilt on my basil and tan survival. Some on my caramel workman's, none apparent on my black workman's, none apparent on my tan or camo originals or blue denim, none on the three mockers, and not on the brown leather.

Would like to know where they came from and how big they're gonna get over time...

[The Wizard of BC]

Yea, that sounds about right. The cutting maching that slices the fabric into long strips uses rollers with spur like tensioning wheels. It's supposed to keep the fabric spread out along the rollers as it is feed into some circular cutting wheels.
The spurs pull the fabric off the roll and into the cutters. There has to be quite a bit of tension and I'm guessing that's where the holes come from.

[Riverkilt]

Okay, this off the UK board from a boardmember through Otto to Lori...

These holes are called drill holes - they're the way the pleat lines are
>marked for sewing. They're literally drilled through the fabric during
>cutting. It allows for very quick and accurate marking through very
>thick stacks of fabric. On a synthetic fiber or a blend, the holes will
>fuse and not fray at all (the drill gets hot), but on a natural fabric
>they can break fibers.
>
>You can purchase a product like Fray Check at a fabric store for a
>minimal price - it will prevent any further fraying.
>
>-- Lori


Of course I've managed to rile a UK loyalist on that board...oh well. Corporate loyalty is its own reward...

Ron

[cavscout]

Of course I've managed to rile a UK loyalist on that board...oh well.

That's one of the things old Devil Dogs do best