Boiled Wool Sweater?

madbomber1998

madbomber1998

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Nov 27, 2008
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Anyone have any experience with boiled wool? Specifically sweaters?

I picked up a few XXL sized wool sweaters in like new condition from the thrift store for $1 each. Since I need them in size M, I've been trying to figure out what to do with them. Was reading about boiled wool - is it worth shrinking the sweaters to my size, or doing the boiled wool thing, or what? And how would I go about doing this?
 
I tried to do it with an XXL. Boiled it to a fare thee well, twisted and rubbed it, and then popped into the dryer to shrink it. It did not gain any additional warmth as far as I could tell. I have read that if you do this you also need to soak it in a mixture of lanolin and water to improve the heat retention of the material. A lot of work with no real gain, as far as I could tell. If you do try this make sure there is plenty of ventilation or your kitchen will smell like a sheeps armpit.
 
i use to buy the l.l.bean alaksan wool shirt in xxl & wash in hot h2o it shrank to a large but i now had a jacket instead of a heavy shirt. the advent of fleece killed wool for me due to weight , however i do'nt think anything will replace wool for durability.
dennis
 
I have a wool commando sweater that I routinely washed with my other heavy clothes in hot water and put through the dryer. It really shrank down, impervious to cold but still breathes well. Fits snug, which I like in layering.

Fleece traps too much moisture. Any kind of knit sweater works better for me.
 
I used to own a pair of Dachstein boiled wool mittens. REI sold them back in the 70’s.
They were windproof and almost waterproof, very warm and durable as well. Boiling the wool really made the fibers strong and tight.

I quit using them as more modern fabrics and materials became available.
 
DennisStrickland said:
i use to buy the l.l.bean alaksan wool shirt in xxl & wash in hot h2o it shrank to a large but i now had a jacket instead of a heavy shirt. the advent of fleece killed wool for me due to weight , however i do'nt think anything will replace wool for durability.
dennis
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Yea, I was just thinking for long-term durability, not looking for much more gain.

So yall think a XXL will end up being like a M or L? Should I give it a try then? lol
 
did the trick since 80s with the xxl bean shirts. a single strand of nylon fiber flexs about 160 times before it breaks single wool strand flexs about 1800 times. i do'nt think any synthetic can outlast wool. plastics get some crazy thing called ozone decay after 15 years in some cases.if you are'nt climbing mountains wool is the lifetime fiber but it is heavier.
dennis
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I have a wool commando sweater that I routinely washed with my other heavy clothes in hot water and put through the dryer. It really shrank down, impervious to cold but still breathes well. Fits snug, which I like in layering.

Fleece traps too much moisture. Any kind of knit sweater works better for me.
Click to expand...

I picked one of these up this summer at the Flea market for $5.00, I have been using it in my layering at work, and it works great..I feel warmer, and dont build up as much sweat! I am never going back to fleece layers.
I have been using quilted old school poly undies, t-shirt..and the wool sweater...under a hoody. I am good all day.
I also use heavy wool/ poly socks..I picked them up at Cabela's online.
 
DennisStrickland said:
i use to buy the l.l.bean alaksan wool shirt in xxl & wash in hot h2o it shrank to a large but i now had a jacket instead of a heavy shirt. the advent of fleece killed wool for me due to weight , however i do'nt think anything will replace wool for durability.
dennis
Click to expand...
Polyester has MUCH greater abrasion resistance and fiber strength. Remember rag wool sock heels?
 
I have washed and dried many wool blankets to tighten the weave. This is a common practice among historical trekkers. (experimental archaeology) it works very well! I don't think going to the trouble of boiling, will give you any better result than washing and drying as hot as your machines will let you.
good luck!
Ted
 
Esav Benyamin said:
. . .

Fleece traps too much moisture. Any kind of knit sweater works better for me.
Click to expand...


Esav, I know you have had many unique experiences. This is another. ^____^ Polyester is hydrophobic. The fibers absorb no water and body heat drives interstitial moisture from the wearer as gravity causes it to move downwards.

Wool, up to a point (about 1/3 of its dry weight IIRC), absorbs mosture into its fibers so you don't feel it AND actually generates heat as it absorbs water. Beyond that point it's just heavy and wet and takes forever (compared to polyester fleece) to dry.

"Boiled wool" is more wear resistant and wind resistant but insulates less for a given weight since it traps less dead air. I have some very nice boiled wool Swedish and German milsurp trousers.

A tightly woven outer layer over a wool sweater was THE answer for centuries. Just not this century. Still, it does work.
 
DennisStrickland said:
did the trick since 80s with the xxl bean shirts. a single strand of nylon fiber flexs about 160 times before it breaks single wool strand flexs about 1800 times. i do'nt think any synthetic can outlast wool. plastics get some crazy thing called ozone decay after 15 years in some cases.if you are'nt climbing mountains wool is the lifetime fiber but it is heavier.
dennis
Click to expand...


Wool ropes? Anyone?

Wool fishing line? Anyone?

UV makes everything rot. Polyester. Nylon. Wood. Cotton. Wool.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Esav, I know you have had many unique experiences. This is another. ^____^ Polyester is hydrophobic. The fibers absorb no water and body heat drives interstitial moisture from the wearer as gravity causes it to move downwards.

Wool, up to a point (about 1/3 of its dry weight IIRC), absorbs mosture into its fibers so you don't feel it AND actually generates heat as it absorbs water. Beyond that point it's just heavy and wet and takes forever (compared to polyester fleece) to dry.

"Boiled wool" is more wear resistant and wind resistant but insulates less for a given weight since it traps less dead air. I have some very nice boiled wool Swedish and German milsurp trousers.

A tightly woven outer layer over a wool sweater was THE answer for centuries. Just not this century. Still, it does work.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what you're talking about.

If I wear fleece on a cold day and zip it up to keep the cold out, I sweat, the fleece traps the sweat, I can't open up to release heat or I'll chill, so I get hotter and damper inside the fleece. Not good.

Open weave sweaters are better because the sweat doesn't stay on my skin or even in my shirt. My wool sweaters seem to keep me warmest without trapping moisture.

But what would I know?
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I have no idea what you're talking about.

If I wear fleece on a cold day and zip it up to keep the cold out, I sweat, the fleece traps the sweat, I can't open up to release heat or I'll chill, so I get hotter and damper inside the fleece. Not good.

Open weave sweaters are better because the sweat doesn't stay on my skin or even in my shirt. My wool sweaters seem to keep me warmest without trapping moisture.

But what would I know?
Click to expand...

Esav, you obviously know what works for you, but look what you just posted. If it's too hot in the house you can, among other things, turn down the heat (less exercise) or open a window (open weave/ventilate). That doesn't make the type of insulation in the house bad. There are some quite thin fleece or "microfleece" garments, but if even those are too good at trapping heat you already have your solutions - open weave or less efficient insulators.

The rest of my ramblings were not addressed to your comments. I hould have made that clearer - other than by context and topic.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I have no idea what you're talking about.

If I wear fleece on a cold day and zip it up to keep the cold out, I sweat, the fleece traps the sweat, I can't open up to release heat or I'll chill, so I get hotter and damper inside the fleece. Not good.

Open weave sweaters are better because the sweat doesn't stay on my skin or even in my shirt. My wool sweaters seem to keep me warmest without trapping moisture.

But what would I know?
Click to expand...

You know Esav,
I keep getting told I am stubborn, or just thick in the skull...but I am outside all year long at work...if its -15F..I am still outside framing...not to sound like a jerk..but Fleece doesnt keep me as warm..it just doesnt.
I have a really nice fleece jacket, that I love..its thin, and I wear it over some other layers..its good till the freezing mark..after that, I have learned..new tech has let me down before..not this winter.
I am going out this Jan for an overnighter..I will be about 800+ above sea level. I bet I will figure out if I have it right this year.
Last year, my high tech layering didnt work out...mostly my fault..but I had moisture in my clothes that I didnt know was there..I couldnt feel it...but thats what the new stuff does..wick it away..and makes you FEEL dry. IMO.
I am sure someone from MIT can prove me wrong.
 
This is why I'm looking into wool - I'm looking to use the best of old-school and modern gear, with a leaning towards long-term durability. I have all the badass fleece, softshell, goretex, etc. and starting to acquire wool and such in addition to it.

Thus my research leading me to boiled wool and such. Seems like if used in conjunction with fleece and other modern high-tech stuff, a good wool sweater, etc. is really useful.
 
Antarctic expeditions are not kidding around. They use wool for socks. (Except the New Zealanders. Wonder why that would be. Not.)
 
I have lived outdoors year round for a several year long stretch. IMHO fleece sucks!

I tried the military polypro long underware It made me sweat (not due to being warmer, due to it's retaining sweat) and felt oily next to my skin. Wool longunderware doesa the opposite I can be sweating due to exertion and my skin stays dry, I stay warm. This has proven true for ALL my wool long underware from Filson and Woolpower to my favorite Stanfields 80/20's

I'll stick to wool.

I have made an Anorack from a military wool blanket which I washed twice in very hot water and dried on High heat. I then treated it with lanolin retreatment to help it shed water. It works very well at stopping wind and sheds everything but a downpour (haven't tried it in pne of those yet.

Haven't shrunk down a sweater yet due to concerns of it shrinking irregularly which can happen due to knit patterns etc.
 
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