Club Obi Wan

Hello everyone. I am obviously new here. Anyway, I bought a shirt at the salvation army that is a good substitute for the real indy shirt. I tried to get all the color out and redye it according to the directions on the site, but it is not working! The shirt I got is a US 101st Airborne one. I guess the shirts in the military are more heavy duty than what you normally buy cause the dye just will not come out at all. After 2 hours of soaking the shirt in the RIT dye remover and soaking it in a bucket of bleach for 24 hrs, the color still looks the same!!. Is there any other ways to get the color out so I can dye it the right shade of tan?

Hi and a big welcome to COW...Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you.

But I thought I'd say hi anyway.

It's possible that the shirt is of similar makeup as the origianl LLBean shirts.
Those shirts are nearly impossible to get the color out of.

The best I can suggest is too try using the color remover again.
I assume you used the pot on the stove method. That is really the best way of doing it.

I have used 2 packs in the soup mix to up the ante, so to speak.
After numerous baths, my LLBean, still only tends to look lightened.

Can you post some pics of the shirt as it looks now?
You may just need to adjust the dye recipe a bit to achieve what you want, IF you've removed enough of the original color.

Good Luck and Welcome to the boards.
Let me know if there is anything I can help you with.

Dalexs
(Resident RIT dye expert)

I will try to put some pics up soon. I tried using 2 packs of the rit dye remover, I am going to use 5 packs this time. If that doesn't work then I don't think anything will. Thanks again for the help

Hey GNW,

I tried to redye the LLBean shirt, with only marginal success. It ended up quite a bit lighter, but only after I used dye remover 3 times, and then let it soak in a diluted bleach solution overnight. I'll probably keep working on it, though. It's almost acceptable, but it's certainly better than it started. The LLBean shirt is just too darn...tan.

If you think your shirt will hold up, add about two cups of bleach to 5 gallons of water, and let it soak. Don't do this unless you're willing to end up with a handful of rags, though, since some fabrics will not survive this treatment.

One last thought: Are you sure your shirt is cotton? Any synthetic fiber (rayon, polyester) will not give up its color. The color is usually part of the fibers.

=jp=

Gravenewworld

Yes it can be a tricky and frustrating process. The first Indy shirt I ever had was exceedingly difficult to dye and the RIT method did not really work for me.

Dalexs here is THE expert when it comes to dying so treat what he says as gospel.

It might just be the sad case you have to accept the fact that ther eis not a lot you can do with the shirt. But the shirt situation is a lot better now than it was a few years ago when I first got into the hobby and there are several relativly cheap options available (at least compared to MBA).

Anyway, welcome to the forum!

Ken

Indiana Ken wrote:...Dalexs here is THE expert when it comes to dying so treat what he says as gospel...
Ken

Yeah, what he said!

And be careful with all of the bleach, coton can only hold up to so much
bleaching before deteriorating to rags.

Also, you are not suppose to mix RIT dye remover with bleach.
Make sure you shirt is rinsed thoroughly!

Hmm I wonder if I can use pool bleach instead? It is probably a lot stronger oxidizing agent than regular clorox bleach.

Yes, listen to Dalexs. Especially about the rinsing part.

I wouldn't use pool bleach, though. No idea what the concentration would be. The LLBean shirt is quite tough, and has stood up to multiple bleachings. This has also softened the shirt, and made it look more worn.

=jp=

Alright here are some pics of the shirt AFTER I did the stove top method for 2 hours AND left the shirt in a bucket of bleach for over 24 hrs. The color hasn'tchanged 1 bit! This is a pretty hardcore shirt for only $2 dollars!

I think its time to admit defeat and just enjoy it for the shirt it is and look elsewhere for an Indy shirt.

Ken

I saw a shirt in the mall I might buy from timberland. It was on sale when I saw it yesterday for $15. It is more of the right color (pick the oats color). It doesn't have the strap things on the shoulders, but you can't see them anyway if you are wearing the jacket.

http://www.timberland.com/product/index ... age=family

Dumb question, but WHAT is the shirt made of? It loks like it may be a synthetic, polyester maybe. That may be the bulk ofthe problem.

It looks like an old class B summer uniform shirt. What the Army used to call "suntans." If so, the fabric is probably heavy weight pure cotton twill.

gravenewworld, are there any labels inside? Why did you refer to it as "101st Airborne?" Were there any patches on it?

Indiana Ken wrote:[...] and just enjoy it for the shirt it is [...]

You mean, tie-dyed?

gravenewworld wrote:I saw a shirt in the mall I might buy from timberland. It was on sale when I saw it yesterday for $15. It is more of the right color (pick the oats color). It doesn't have the strap things on the shoulders, but you can't see them anyway if you are wearing the jacket.

http://www.timberland.com/product/index ... age=family

That looks like a good starting shirt. Too bad there's no buttons on the pockets...but the pleats on the pockets are at least suggestive of Indy, and if that Oats color is right, a very good $15 starter shirt. (You get your IndyOnA Budget badge right away. Good job!)

But I don't want to take this further off topic - that deserves it's own thread, while the gang sorts out your dye job issues. If I were you I'd post a new thread w/ that shirt out in General Gear.

J

Dumb question, but WHAT is the shirt made of? It loks like it may be a synthetic, polyester maybe. That may be the bulk ofthe problem.

I am almost 100% certain it is made out of cotton from the way it feels. It doesn't have any labels though.

Why did you refer to it as "101st Airborne?" Were there any patches on it?

Yes. At least there were. You probably can't see it in the pictures but there were definitely patches on it, a sergeant's patch and I am guessing an Airborne patch that I recognized from the outlines of the patterns. You have to look extremely closely to see it though.

No big loss though, it was only 2 dollars at the thrift store. I will keep trying to find a cheap and good indy shirt before halloween. Thanks for the help.

What about the shirts from Wal-Mart, they are very good in my opinion-not perfect though. Illinois.

Actually, now that I look at it a second time, the shirt looks juts like a Boy scout shirt, which i know is polyester blend. If the shirt was cotton twill, the dye remover and bleach would have had SOME effect on it.

I don't know what else to tell you.

Ok, I realize I'm a bit color blind but I think it would be cool if someone with the exact colors of the pants and shirts Indy wore in movies were to post some close ups of the material. I seem to think the shirt looks ok, or is it a bit too green? Anyway if someone could do that it would be cool. I have picked up several safari shirts lately but am not certain of with color is closest to the raiders look.

George

For what its worth, this top picture is of an original NH shirt before dyeing.

This is a piece of actual pants material from the movie, picked up off the ground just after the truck chase scene... I tried to get as much of the blood and skin scrapping off before taking the picture...
(No, but really, it is a piece from the pants NH offered.)

humm, ok but i thought the undyed was closer to the color on Raiders. All the pics Ive seen looks more tan than bone.

George

Alot of the NH shirts had a slight pink hue to them. It may not show that well here, but they did, and never really looked that good.

Here is your problem:

Do you want a shirt that is close if not the same color as the colour Indy's costume shirt actually is (ie - if you are holding it in your hand).

or

Do you want a shirt that is the color or close to the color of Indy's shirt as it appears on screen in the desert and/or under artificial lighting, etc.

?????

Ken

Indiana Ken wrote:Here is your problem:

Do you want a shirt that is close if not the same color as the colour Indy's costume shirt actually is (ie - if you are holding it in your hand).

or

Do you want a shirt that is the color or close to the color of Indy's shirt as it appears on screen in the desert and/or under artificial lighting, etc.

?????

Ken

Listen to Indy Ken, you will. Wise in the ways of the Indy shirt, he is.

(Ahem...had a muppet in my throat there for a second. All better now.)

He's right - there's a LOT of variation in what is seen on screen compared to reality (reference ANY post from Bufflehead on the virtues (or lack thereof) of current visual entertainment center equipment, or color correction, or THX). And we've shown ourselves countless times how one shirt looks completely different in four different lights...hang on...where is that picture...grrrr....ah, here it is...had to repost an expired pic, but take a look at this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=140731#140731
On pages 1 and 2 of this thread are pics of the shirt, and it looks different every time. So to clarify this, on page 3 is a comparison of two shirts, with a Wested authentic brown lambskin for color reference, in four different types of lighting conditions. (That link above takes you directly to that post.)

This isn't meant to be a smart-aleck response, just hoping to help you understand that what you seek may not necessarily be attained in all ways at all times. You have to choose if you want the shirt that was REALLY there but you couldn't see, or the shirt you thought you saw. The majority consensus ( ) is to achieve the real colors of the costume, as that way the relative contrasts of the pieces - hat, jacket, shirt, pants - will all be correct. Kind of boxed into this, really, if you buy an AUTHENTIC brown jacket.

THe only thing I want is a shirt that is a different color than my pants. The color of the shirt that I posted pics of is pretty much the same color as my pants. I would look like a tool if I had a shirt and pants that were the same color no?

A tool, no? heeheehee..okay, how do I answer this diplomatically...

Matching pants and shirt do look like a uniform, so depending on what is in your hand, you may look like an electrician, plumber, security guard, park ranger, etc.

Yes, you are on the money in that Indy DID have contrast between the two. So a lighter shirt, or darker pants, would probably do it.

Me, I have some pants that I think are the PERFECT color, but the WRONG style (but they do have a nifty 'comfort waist'...ahhh!)...I also have some vintage military pants that are the PERFECT style, but the WRONG COLOR. *sigh*...

...Dalexs, please make a point of picking on the color of my pants at the QM. I think I'm going to wear the vintage ones for a change this year, and I'd like your first-hand opinion on how much success I'd have Ritt'ing them. (I think I'm going to start calling you, 'The Steve Of Many Colors'.)

J

Indiana Jerry wrote:...Dalexs, please make a point of picking on the color of my pants at the QM. I think I'm going to wear the vintage ones for a change this year, and I'd like your first-hand opinion on how much success I'd have Ritt'ing them. (I think I'm going to start calling you, 'The Steve Of Many Colors'.)

J

OOOOooo, I can't wait!

I finally caved in and just bought the LL bean shirt. It is actually very good quality, w/ some special insect repellent fiber or something like that.

Dalexs wrote:

Indiana Jerry wrote:...Dalexs, please make a point of picking on the color of my pants at the QM. I think I'm going to wear the vintage ones for a change this year, and I'd like your first-hand opinion on how much success I'd have Ritt'ing them. (I think I'm going to start calling you, 'The Steve Of Many Colors'.)

J

OOOOooo, I can't wait!

hehehe...and I fully expect 'The Steve Of Many Colors' will be wearing his bat-utility belt w/ every shade of Ritt in little tubes... "This lifeboat will work nicely, now we just need 20 gallons of hot water..."

The LL Bean shirt is a nice shirt, from what I can tell, graven. Repost when you get it, and we'll give you an honest opinion on the contrast between your shirt and pants. (Maybe even a nice one! )

(Psst...please don't get them talking about the insect repellent fiber again...trust me...just search on it, you'll see what I mean. )