[Lowrez]

Re: No replacing an original...

Arrrg!!! I really expect more from an MO article. Denier is not a measure of abrasion resistance. Denier is an measurement of weight per given length. If two threads of the same material have different deniers, then you know the lower denier is a finer thread (less area in the cross-section).

I really wish you guys wouldn't pass on bad information like this. Some people mistake you for experts.

 

[Lowrez]

Re: No replacing an original...

You're correct is that it is useless, but I haven't seen much to indicate that weave is too critical. Mostly we should be concerned with thread melting point, tensile strength, and elasticity. Of course, that would require detailed tags and educated consumers. Slapping on "1000 denier" is so much easier.

BTW, that technically means 1000 grams per 9000 meters of synthetic thread. The length used for natural silk is different, but I've never had to worry about that so I can't remember it.

Denier does give us an idea of how large threads are relative to one another. 1000 denier Cordura will be twice the diameter of 250 denier Cordura, but don't ask how that will compare to your generic 500 denier ballistic nylon.

 

[Lowrez]

Re: No replacing an original...

I don't fault you for not knowing. Heck, I wouldn't expect anyone who hasn't worked with fabrics to know. However, if you don't know what denier actually is, either don't comment on it or look it up. Making a statement otherwise is just asking for someone to point out the error.

 

[Lowrez]

Re: And

Sure, a stronger thread will live up to abrasion better. (Mind you it isn't some abstract concept, we all know what it is and isn't) The problem is that a higher denier doesn't mean stronger, it just means heavier. Like I said, if the threads are the same material, higher also means thicker (though not necessarily "stronger").

Fabric industry is something that I follow as a casualty of work I've done in the past. You can only be involved in the assembly of automotive seats and the QA for so long before you start to ask what everything means. You also start to get very scared if you start trying to figure out how good that new mystery fabric is. (I'm still trying to figure out what Roc-Tex is.)

 

[Lowrez]

Re: And

I don't know if there is a standard mesaure for abrasion resistance or not. It really isn't much of an issue when assembling seats. Why the threads keep breaking and why we use 43 staples per seat when only 25 are in the finished product are the more important questions.

 

[Lowrez]

Re: Sniglets

You must be using an old copy of Webster's. Take a look at m-w.com and the second entry for denier is this:

2 /'de-ny&r/ : a unit of fineness for yarn equal to the fineness of a yarn weighing one gram for each 9000 meters

 

[Lowrez]

Re: test subjects

Sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe it would be a perfect system, but we could make some relative statements.

I think Motorcycle Consumer News did something similar years ago by putting sand bags in jackets and then dragging them behind a pickup truck. Nice simple ranking system if less than perfect.

 

[Lowrez]

Re: No replacing an original...

I'm glad to know you understand denier without knowing what it is. That is a level of comprehension I've never attained. Of course, if they wanted to explain why it was important, they should have gotten the explanation right. At the very least they could go back and fix it now.

I actually appreciated them noting the rubber tipped YKK zippers. YKK generally does make a quality product and little things like rubber tipping the pulls makes them so much easier to use with gloved hands.

As for denier numbers being everywhere, I can't really comment. If you think higher is better, though, I'd recommend you stay away from buying stockings for a woman. You'll be sorely disappointed if you choose 100 denier stockings over a nice pair of 15s.

Side note: I typoed before, sorry. I ment the RockTex that Joe Rocket says is a trademarked fabric in all their gear. Unfortunately, I can't find any matching trademark in US or Canada. So if there isn't a RockTex(tm) why do they claim it and what is it?