# Grinding a shirt to get distressed look



## cposch (Apr 20, 2006)

What would you recommend to put very small holes in shirts?

Is there a piece of equiopment that you guys have used which works best?

(ie cheesegrader or something like that)???


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

I'd go with mice.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

This might help as well: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/t-shirt-tag-relabeling-finishing/t406.html


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## cposch (Apr 20, 2006)

thanks guys!


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

www.wliflex has some new stuff that will distress the mess out of a shirt. Check out their specialty inks.
PolyOne Corporation - Screen Printing Inks


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## BillFogarty (Mar 8, 2007)

Well with furniture, I like to distress the finish by whacking the piece with an old sock full of nickles, a sharp screwdriver and a rusty bicycle chain...that'd probably work on shirts too...


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Jasonda said:


> I'd go with mice.


Now how exactly would you do that? Rub some cheese on a few spots? Hold the mouse in your hand and use their teeth like a tool? Sew some cheese to the shirt and let the mice dig it out?


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

prometheus said:


> Now how exactly would you do that? Rub some cheese on a few spots? Hold the mouse in your hand and use their teeth like a tool? Sew some cheese to the shirt and let the mice dig it out?


You don't need cheese. Mice love to eat clothes. Just toss a few mice in a box of shirts and they will be full of holes in no time. And mouse poop. And maybe some baby mice.

Obviously I'm joking, it's just the first thing I thought of when I read "very small holes in shirt".


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## BillFogarty (Mar 8, 2007)

that might be a nice gimmick...

"Real Rodent Distressed Shirts"

bubonicplagueshirts.com


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

BillFogarty said:


> that might be a nice gimmick...
> 
> "Real Rodent Distressed Shirts"
> 
> bubonicplagueshirts.com


Don't think I would be too happy about the "Poop wash" though.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

prometheus said:


> Don't think I would be too happy about the "Poop wash" though.


Well it worked once... (cowchipshirts.com - I've always wondered if that was for real or a practical joke, I'm still undecided).


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Solmu said:


> Well it worked once... (cowchipshirts.com - I've always wondered if that was for real or a practical joke, I'm still undecided).


I have one of their shirts and I'm pretty sure it's real


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Rodney said:


> I have one of their shirts and I'm pretty sure it's real


Everything I've seen about the company seems legit, I just have so much trouble believing a whole company is built around that concept  It's one of those Truman Show kind of moments... is this just some big elaborate joke?


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Solmu said:


> Everything I've seen about the company seems legit, I just have so much trouble believing a whole company is built around that concept  It's one of those Truman Show kind of moments... is this just some big elaborate joke?


I think it's B.S. (I hate myself, but I had to make that joke  )


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## gmille39 (Oct 18, 2006)

Puppies. They chew on just about anything and it might keep them away from the furniture and shoes


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## Quattroporte (Dec 27, 2006)

Try pounding rocks together!

If it doesn't rip, expect for it to fall apart after a few washes. ^_~


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## Platinum-Ink (Nov 27, 2007)

A dremel with a coarse sanding cone attached to it at medium speed works well. You can create a jig to hold the dremel still or even use a small sander (belt sander). just watch your fingers. I've distressed plenty of shirts and find a dremel works best... a little better than mice : P

If you don't mind spending a little more time to distress and don't want to spend the etra money on a dremel, you can use a zester (less damaging but distresses really nice). A cheese grater will tear the shirt more than you'd probably like.


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## sdsport (Jul 16, 2009)

i need a tee shirt gringer


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## Catbox (Oct 3, 2007)

Let a kid wear it oustside for a few hours...lol
A closet full of moths would work...


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## ryansullivan (Jul 8, 2007)

shirts are distressed with a chemical that eats the cellulose of the cotton. You can buy some it is called fiber etch. You apply it to wherever you want the shirt distressed and when it dries that area becomes distressed and falls out like ashes. Works well is fast and cheap.

ryan


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## Paulie73 (Jul 24, 2009)

Moths do a good job. Im not kidding either! I caught the bugger that did one of my hoodies...the holes are perfect though!
The problem is with some of the chemicals is one day you go to put your arm in the shirt and it just falls apart. You can rip them apart so easily.


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## gilberto (May 15, 2007)

BillFogarty said:


> that might be a nice gimmick...
> 
> "Real Rodent Distressed Shirts"
> 
> bubonicplagueshirts.com


here is a nice accidental gimmick that they structured around
DirtShirt.com


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