Frayed pocket maintenance and tinkering?

J

Jamesh Bond

Joined
Jan 14, 2007
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Since it's knife related, I'm posting this here. Mods, if you feel I posted in the wrong area, please feel to move this. And go easy on me!

OK so we all know how bad g-10 can be on our pockets. We also all know the little tricks, like sanding the scales smooth, clip tension, etc.

But what happens once your pocket does start to fray? I know Carhart and other brands actually manufacture certain pants with a leather pocket protector where a knife goes. It doesn't really work unless you want to bend your clip, due to the leather's thickness, but it's a nice thought.

Anyway, so I have a perfectly good pair of jeans, but the pocket top is starting to fray, and the liner has started to separate from the canvas. I've been down this road before, so I know if I keep clipping a knife to this spot, eventually the material will unravel so bad I will end up with a mop where my pocket should be.

Which is a shame since these are my favorite jeans and they are otherwise perfect.

So my plan is to attempt to re stitch the liner securely back to the pocket, then whip stitch the top of the seam to hold the Frayed threads in place.

Or maybe try to sew in an actual protector, Carhart style. But that would tax my abilities and I'd like to keep it easy.

Sorry about no pics, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about without em.

Anyway, I suck at sewing, so my question is if any of you have done something similar to revive a shredded pocket.

What did you do, and how?

Sewing techniques, the best stitches for the job, and other possibilities are what I'm after here.

Share your pocket rescue/ pocket saving tips.

Thx!
 
My wife fixed a pair for me a few years back with a pocket inner that was heated with a household iron to melt the glue to what was left of the original pocket liner.
 
Cut a patch, fold the ends over and pin it in place. If you don't mind a bit of unravel you can skip folding the edges over - if the stitching is tight it won't loosen much anyway. Use a lot of pins to hold it exactly where you want it to be. Place the stitches close together, maybe 1/16" apart. A small pair of smooth jawed pliers is a big help for driving needles through multiple fabric layers.

Trying to reinforce fabric that's on the way out is seldom useful - the material you're putting the stitches in is falling apart and the stitches fall out with it. Reinforce or stitch a patch from good to good.

I seldom carry a folding knife anymore, as much for the pocket destruction as the clip catching and scraping furniture, doorframes etc. A small fixed blade either IWB or OWB is every bit as convenient and leaves pockets empty (more comfortable) or at least leaves more room for regular pocket items like earplugs and house keys.
 
Ammo pouch with steel belt clip. Clips to non belt pants also etc.
Partly/mostly for those knives I prefer to use with the clip removed . . . for instance the Para 2 . . . though I put the Griptillian in the pouch because I love the thick handle (with the clip on for finger traction during opening) but I don’t like it in my pocket.






Of course I don't use the pouch every day. These are a pair of my work pants. Worn for years with a knife there every day. Lately it has been the GB 1 but many others such as the 710.

Not bad with the right knife(s).
 
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It isn’t like I don’t sew stuff. I made this rain parka. Anyone remember these old Frostliine Kits? Those were the good O’ days. I was a poor kid then though so this was the way to go.



 
I seldom carry a folding knife anymore . . . A small fixed blade either IWB or OWB is every bit as convenient and leaves pockets empty.
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But you can't flip it ! ! !
What good is it ? ? ?

What is it for . . . I DON'T UNDERSTAND ! ? ! ?
:p :p :p :)

as much for the pocket destruction as the clip catching and scraping furniture, doorframes etc. A small fixed blade either IWB or OWB is every bit as convenient and leaves pockets empty
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true . . . VERY true.

PS: but then I get all confused and carry my fixed blade INSIDE my pocket. So what do I know.
 
I just cut a small patch and use Tear Mender fabric glue on pockets that fray.
It is very strong adhesive.
 
5.11 pockets are reinforced for knife clips. I've had several pairs and none have frayed.
 
5.11 (pants)
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I was ALLL about getting some of those but they had such sucky reviews I didn't even try. It seems the newer ones coming into the country (USA) are VERY inconstantly made and baggy in weird places. One guy, or maybe more than one, said he couldn't even run in them if he had to because of how low the crotch was on the new ones but the old ones were like a different animal.

I would love to get some good ones. Never had a pair. I can't waste money and time if they are going to suck.
 
You could use some SpeedSew to glue things back together and to keep it from fraying more. It is a glue meant to repair clothing and other items, you can even glue more material into the place if you want.
 
stabman said:
Manly men see frayed pockets as a sign of true manliness. ;)
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I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who found the irony in this post after his last one.

For the record I don't have a favorite pair of jeans as I feel stuff like that leads to the wussification of men today. Plus I wear gym shorts 90% of the time and for <$10 if I fray a pocket, who cares, it cost less than a roll of dip to replace.
 
Amoo said:
I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who found the irony in this post after his last one.

For the record I don't have a favorite pair of jeans as I feel stuff like that leads to the wussification of men today. Plus I wear gym shorts 90% of the time and for <$10 if I fray a pocket, who cares, it cost less than a roll of dip to replace.
Click to expand...

You're not the only one.
I had a favorite pair of jeans in junior high.
 
I have three or four pair of Levis that fit me, and I rotate thru those seven days/week. Some of the rt-hand pockets are frayed... If they get bad enuf, I buy another pair of Levis. What's this BS about manly? WTH...it's a pair of Levis...
 
I use some duct tape and wear a longer shirt. No seriously. I have had this problem as well. Every fix ive tried was only a temporary bandage.
 
Cheer up, Pilgrims. You salvation is here. And you can buy it at your local auto parts store or perhaps even WalMart.
The answer to the problem is a leather car chamois, the leather that you use for washing and drying expensive paint jobs. It's very thin, light weight, extremely durable, and water doesn't harm it.

Buy the cheapest one you can find, but be sure that it is 'real' chamois, not the synthetic ones. Then, just turn your pocket inside out, cut a patch to fit it, either sew it on or use a fabric glue to hold it in place, and fray no more forever. You may wish to extend a small bit over the edge of the pocket as well.

Stitchawl
 
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