Broken bag, stiff Material: Hmmm???

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 05 Mar 2005 15:40

All right you guys, have you ever noticed when you break in a bag, the material is still a little stiff? With my abshire, It seems broken in, the panels and stitchings are worn in and it has that "floppy-ish" feeling to it, yet it the materla still feels stiff. I've had it for about...5 monthsn now. Has anyone else experienced this? I was thinking about putting some fabric softener on it, just to get the panels soften up.

Anyone know what to do?

LittleBoy footbag · Post by **LittleBoy footbag** » 05 Mar 2005 16:08

I dunno.....my abshires kinda feel like that too....especially after I give them a bath.......that's when they're the hardest.....right after they're fully dry.

Blue_turnip · Post by **Blue_turnip** » 05 Mar 2005 17:54

yea, my dirtbag is really stiff after i wash it. So if your washing it that is probably the reason

LittleBoy footbag · Post by **LittleBoy footbag** » 05 Mar 2005 18:23

i'd say finger massage for a while after washing? That gets my bag floppier than a middle-aged man who ran out of viagra.

Blue_turnip · Post by **Blue_turnip** » 05 Mar 2005 22:34

Despite the fact that it was funny I dont think that last sentence was necessary on these forums

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 06 Mar 2005 00:03

Even if I finger-massage it after it's done drying, it's still stiff. I might try the fabric softener.

sNale · Post by **sNale** » 06 Mar 2005 04:54

Hmm whenever I washed my Abshire (just water and sopa) and let it dry, it feels SO soft and looks so great!

I want to put it next to my pillow

richardabshire · Post by **richardabshire** » 06 Mar 2005 08:22

I would advise using mild hand soap and cold water, never warm or hot. Then dry the bag as much as possible and place in a spot away from heat and sunlight. I know what you guys are saying and my method of cleaning should take care of the stiff feeling. Hope this helps, Richie

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 06 Mar 2005 09:54

It's still kinda stiff after I clean it. I may try washing it than putting it in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet (I have this little laundry bag that I can put my footbag in so it won't get all torn up). Woul this be okay Richie, because I've washed my bag on a regular bases (ya know when it get's dirty) and I've actually done all the things you've mentioned and it still hasn't changed. again I've had my bag for about 5 months now, so I don't think it needs more breaking-in. Like I said the bag has that floppy feeling and the stitches are broken in and such. But the pannels still have that stiff feeling to them.

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 06 Mar 2005 15:29

stiff all the time? or just after you wash it? If you knead it in your hand a bit after it has dried, does the stiffness go away? Is the stiffness always there?
Are the colors of the bag thick colors? What are the colors, i guess I should ask?

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 06 Mar 2005 17:48

The material just seems to be stiff when dry, when wet (of course) it's more...floppy. The colors are black and green. IT just seems not as soft as my other 32's. My J Bags seem to have a softer facile to them. I do know that Hibbs has applied fabric softener to some of his bags though. That's why I was suggesting to do the same to my Abshire.

hope this helps you give an idea of what I'm talking about.

Senor Grommet · Post by **Senor Grommet** » 06 Mar 2005 18:02

JFootbagger wrote:The material just seems to be stiff when dry

is it stiff when it is dry all the time? or is it only stiff when it's dry before you massage it? Does the stiffness ever go away when it's dry?

I think as long as it doesn't affect the playablilty of the bag, then there's nothing to worry about.

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 06 Mar 2005 19:18

It seems it be stiff no matter what, except when it's wet. Like the bag itself is broken in, like it feels floppy, but the actually pannels are stiff. better way to describe it is it has that rolly-touch to it when I play with it. Either I'm guessin' it needs more finger-massaging or the pannels are just plain stiff.

but...do you think fabric softener would be okay for the bag? I think it may help it

Edit: sorry if my posts sound "repetitive"

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 06 Mar 2005 19:26

Here's a conversation Joe Kulacz I had the other night:

jzw90: Hey Joe, do you think it'd be okay for the bag if you put Fabric softener on it
jzw90: to make it softer
JoEkUlaCz27: yup
JoEkUlaCz27: i do it all the time
jzw90: really?
jzw90: liquid or sheets?
JoEkUlaCz27: liquid
jzw90: which brand?
jzw90: how much?
JoEkUlaCz27: wash your bag with dove hand soap then rub fabric softener into your bag then rinse and use soap again then fabric softner and then soap
JoEkUlaCz27: i use snuggles
jzw90: how much
jzw90: like...a couple dropps?
JoEkUlaCz27: i dunno i put some into the cap and drown my bag in it then i take it out and rub it in
jzw90: JoEkUlaCz27: wash your bag with dove hand soap then rub fabric softener into your bag then rinse and use soap again then fabric softner and then soap
jzw90: wow that's alot of soaping and fabric-softenin'
jzw90: Dove bar soap or liquid?
JoEkUlaCz27: bar soap
JoEkUlaCz27: liquid sucks
jzw90: hahaha
jzw90: you pot head
JoEkUlaCz27: or you can just do the cycle once
jzw90: aight
jzw90: thanks man

brian relly · Post by **brian relly** » 06 Mar 2005 19:41

Rich: What difference does the temperature of the water make?

richardabshire · Post by **richardabshire** » 07 Mar 2005 10:28

Facile is a cold water material and heat will weaken the structure of the fabric over a short period of time.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 07 Mar 2005 11:28

haha, snuggles

blackcrown · Post by **blackcrown** » 07 Mar 2005 11:53

I've found that when I wash my Abshires in tap water they dry out "stiff". But if I wash them in Evian or Fiji bottled water that they dry out super soft and nice. The tap water here where I live is really hard (i.e. a lot of minerals like calcium). Give it a try a see if works for you.

Eric

Jas · Post by **Jas** » 07 Mar 2005 22:06

hmmm ive had my abshire for about 7 months now and its still as soft as my bum. I dont use fabric softener, i just use mild soap with a pond of cold water in my basin. I rub the wet soap on my hands to get all the residue and foam and shit and then i get my rinsed bag and lightly massage the outside material of the bag until it feels slippery. Then i rinse it in water until the facile becomes kind of rubbery, and drain all the water out.
Then i place a towel on a table and lightly throw the bag onto the towel so it drains the excess water out. After that, the bag should have a wet/dry feeling and this is the time where u take ur time and massage through ur fingers (as if breaking in a bag) until u dont feel any moisture on ur fingers (this takes ages, atleast an 1hr if u can be bothered, maybe less). The bag should feel so soft that it slips out of ur hands.

JFootbagger · Post by **JFootbagger** » 08 Mar 2005 16:31

when washing your bags do you guys use bar soap or liquid? Usually I use Dial liquid soap, but I don't think it's workin' to well. I am goin' to try this idea of Joe's though, the fabric-softener.