Stillwater, how heavy is there heavyweight?

[Zardoz]

Oddly enough, I have weighed my Stillwater heavy Leatherneck (I was curious what the effect would be if I weighed in at Weightwatchers in the SWK heavy instead of my usual USAK casual. The SWK weighs about 3.5 pounds. For reference, the USAK casual weighs about 1.8 pounds. Of course the casual doesn't have straps or buckles.

OK, I can add "weighing my clothes" to the list of stuff I never thought I'd do!

I got my wife's food scale, don't know how accurate it is, and weighed one of my USA Semi-trads, which I know has about 5.8 yards of PV, and a 23.5 inch length. it came out to 2 pounds 3 ounces (350zs) . So some simple math; 35ozs / 5.8 yards = 6ozs per yard for the 23.5 inch wide fabric, this is with the seams, straps, buckles etc.. since fabric weights are figured on the full width if the bolt, the PV is about 11 -12 oz.

And then I weighed my SWK Saffron, which also has about 5.8 yards of fabric*, and a 24 inch length. It came out to 2 pounds 9 ounces (41ozs). So... 41ozs / 5.8 yards = 7oz per yard, or 13-14oz full width .

*(Note; the SWK solids have shallower pleats, and less yardage than their tartan kilts, my SWK Standard Nightstalker has about 7 yards in it)

[The Wizard of BC]

Ok I'll post this again for those who want to know the actual weight of the fabric in their kilts. (and for those who missed it last time or who's eyes glaze over when I drop into Engineer mode.)

There is a difference in "Fabric yards" and "Kilt yards". A fabric yard is double-width. So to make an 8 yard kilt you first start with 4 yards of double-width fabric. A kilt yard is the linear length of fabric in your kilt regardless of its drop.

We measure fabric weight at double-width. 1 yard long by 60" wide. If the fabric is 16oz this yard of double-width will be 1 pound.

Got that so far? Now comes the arithmetic part.

1 yard = 36 inches
multiply 36" X 60" and you get 2160 square inches in 1 fabric yard.

OK, now how many fabric yards are in your kilt you ask? Simple. Measure with a tape along the bottom or hem and find the total length of the fabric in your kilt. Take this in inches.
Now measure the total length of the kilt from hem to top of waistband. Also in inches.
multiply the length of the fabric by the length of the kilt.

Let's say your kilt has exactly 8 kilt yards. That would be 288".
Let's also say your kilt is 24" long. That would be 24"

288 X 24 = 6912 square inches of fabric in your kilt.

Then devide 6912 square inches in your kilt by 2160 square inches in a fabric yard. And, viola, you find that your kilt is actually 3.2 fabric yards.

If the fabric is 16 oz. then this kilt would weight 51.2 ounces or 3.2 pounds.

Now you need a good scale that weighs in ounces. If you don't have one go to the post office with your kilt and ask to put it on the postal scale.

OK, now you know the exact weight of your kilt and you know how many square inches of fabric is in it the arithmetic is pretty simple.


As a rule of thumb ---- if your kilt has exactly 8 kilt yards of fabric, is 24" long and is made from 16oz fabric the kilt will weigh 3.2 pounds.
If it is made from 13 oz fabric it will weigh 2.8 pounds.

Just remember when determining the weight of fabric that you must find the exact amount of fabric in your kilt in square inches. "Length along the hem" X "length of kilt".

This is a pretty accurate system. We don't really worry about the weight of the straps and buckles or the thread used to sew the kilt.

All you need is a tape measure, a good scale and a calculator. (or a slide rule for those of us who remember how to use them.)

If you want to know the actual weight of the fabric in a kilt before you buy it, the best advice is to call the person you are buying it from. If they don't know, or won't tell you, then it is a good bet that you are going to get something significantly different than what is advertised.

But of course you don't have to worry about that with Jerry at Stillwater. He is a very upright guy and because he has seen this question over and over I bet he knows exactly what his fabric weighs. So call him and ask.

[Zardoz]

Great post Steve, "the arithmetic part" has never been my strong suit!

[xman]

redundant post

[DubintheDam]

This makes it clear, very clear!

My 8yrd 16oz weighs 3.2 pounds and a SWK solid color would be 2.5 pounds as it is only 6yrds in fabric.

So I conclude that it is indeed 13oz wool they use and it's like a 5yrd kilt with a little extra oomph. It would be almost 2/3 a pound lighter (which is well over a Kilo in the eurozone)...that's a lot!

Most 5 yrd casual kilts from Scotland start are about $350, so really they are a bargain.

[Nighthawk]

This makes it clear, very clear!

My 8yrd 16oz weighs 3.2 pounds and a SWK solid color would be 2.5 pounds as it is only 6yrds in fabric.

So I conclude that it is indeed 13oz wool they use and it's like a 5yrd kilt with a little extra oomph. It would be almost 2/3 a pound lighter (which is well over a Kilo in the eurozone)...that's a lot!

Most 5 yrd casual kilts from Scotland start are about $350, so really they are a bargain.

I'll chime in on this part. They most certainly are a bargain, and were I not saving money for a vacation, I would buy one of the green heavies. I love my Nightstalker and saffron. Not so much the 2 acrylics that I have. I don't like acrylic. But the woolies- man, those things are killer for the price!!

[Drac]

I'm pretty sure they are around 13-14 ozs. Certainly heavier than my 11 oz PV kilts.
I never actually weighed them or anything, but of the two Stillwater heavies I've owned, a Saffron and a Weathered Lamont, I feel like the Saffron is a little heavier.

I didn't see a weathered Lamont on the site. Was that a custom job?

Jim

[cavscout]

My wool Nightstalker

Did Jerry have the Nightstalker in wool? I thought he only had that in Acrylic. If there was a run of those in wool I hate that I missed it. That's a great tartan.

[seanachie]

I'll chime in on this part. They most certainly are a bargain, and were I not saving money for a vacation, I would buy one of the green heavies. I love my Nightstalker and saffron. Not so much the 2 acrylics that I have. I don't like acrylic. But the woolies- man, those things are killer for the price!!

I agree they are a good value, and I do own the solid green. Throw in that Jerry provides great customer service and speedy delivery the value proposition goes up.

The one caveat I will throw in, is that for the longest time this was my only wool kilt. Now I am lucky enough to own 2 of Keltoi's box pleated kilts. Speaking just to the wool, there is a tremendous difference. The weight, feel, swish etc. So for a person new to kilting (which I certainly was when I got the SWK), don't have the expectation of a worsted wool. But then again you are paying substantially less. Zardoz is also correct about the pleat depth.

[Zardoz]

I didn't see a weathered Lamont on the site. Was that a custom job?

Jim

It was a limited run a few years back, I hardly ever wore it, so I sold mine to a forum member a while ago.

Here's one for sale;

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...nt-38-a-65103/