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The source of Drakes knit ties - Page 4

post #46 of 64
8/21/12 at 11:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by radicaldog View Post

Fair enough. I actually didn't buy any knits when I was in Charvet last spring because they seemed identical to some middle-market ones I have from various brands (e.g. Howard Yount -- but maybe this is a recent development), and costed more (btw, most of the other ties in Charvet are shiny monstrosities). Excluding the completely flat Jersey weaves (which are a different style altogether), it seems to me that there are four different kinds of silk knits:
1 - Almost flat and light, a sort of piquet weave. These are sold by cheaper retailers such as TM Lewin, and I consider them too ugly to wear.
2 - Crunchy and airy: I have some of these by Borsalino, Les Copains and Polo. I really like them.
3 - Crunchy and loose: this is the Howard Yount variety. Many other brands sell these. They're not bad at all and I wear them happily.
4 - Crunchy and tightly woven: this is the Drakes variety. I consider them a better version of (3) and slightly more formal than (2) and really like them.
I wear 2, 3 and 4 (and the odd jersey weave), but 4 give me that little extra satisfaction when I tie them. I don't claim that this in any way reflects an objective superiority of those ties.

Radical Dog,

The best knit tie review I have seen - good work.

Any chance of close-up photos of all 4?

The photos would help show the difference between 2 and 3.
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post #47 of 64
8/22/12 at 2:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Hober View Post

Radical Dog,
The best knit tie review I have seen - good work.
Any chance of close-up photos of all 4?
The photos would help show the difference between 2 and 3.

Thanks. I'm travelling around till early Sept., but will try and take some photos when back home.
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post #48 of 64
8/22/12 at 2:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Hober View Post

Radical Dog,
The best knit tie review I have seen - good work.
Any chance of close-up photos of all 4?
The photos would help show the difference between 2 and 3.

 

Well said.

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post #49 of 64
8/22/12 at 4:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by davesmith View Post

Never seen it done, maybe one day. What I mean is the opposite of a Berg & Berg tie, where the tie and spots are the same and cannot be separated. I am not sure of the exact time when the spots are sewn on but it is after the solid tie is woven. In the brown Rubinacci tie you can clearly see the spots sewn into the weave of the knitted tie. (Not sure if my terminology is correct, let the pictures doe the talking!) Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
  

With the Berg & Berg tie, you can clearly see that the spots are knitted in a way that alters the flow of the knit. The dots cause ripples in the rows on either side. I prefer the embroidered Rubinacci.
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post #50 of 64
9/4/12 at 7:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by radicaldog View Post

I would guess it's easier to sew the spots before the tie is stitched together at the back. But I really don't care -- I just want to order my own combinations of tie and spots!

Radical Dog,

Still looking forward to the photos when you get back.

Meanwhile it turns out we have one woman on our staff that can sew beautiful hand sewn dots (spots for our UK friends).

I am not sure how long it would take to sew dots on an entire tie but custom colors would be possible and we would start with grenadines.
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post #51 of 64
9/4/12 at 7:36am
Thread Starter 
As requested, here are some clumsy photographs of my three favourite kinds of knit tie.

From top to bottom, types 2 (crunchy and airy), 3 (crunchy and loose), and 4 (crunchy and tight):



Close-up:

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post #52 of 64
9/4/12 at 7:45am
Thread Starter 
And a comparison of 2 (bottom) and 4 (top) in bicolour version, which may highlight the difference in the weave:



I have type 3 with stripes but not in bicolour version, alas.
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post #53 of 64
9/4/12 at 9:07am
Great stuff, radicaldog. With respect to my comments earlier in the thread, Rubi knits are like 3, whereas KW knits are like 4.
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post #54 of 64
9/4/12 at 9:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by radicaldog View Post

As requested, here are some clumsy photographs of my three favourite kinds of knit tie.

From top to bottom, types 2 (crunchy and airy), 3 (crunchy and loose), and 4 (crunchy and tight):

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

 

 

This is very illustrative; thank you for taking the time to photo/post. Your "type 3" (middle one) is certainly my favorite but I haven't seen them sold anywhere, so the few knits I have (all Polo IIRC) are type 2 and worn sparingly as a result. I'll keep an eye out for the middle type next time I think about getting a knit. Thanks again.

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post #55 of 64
9/4/12 at 9:48am

Great overview!

I think Wang and Polo (on deal) provide the best bang for your knit buck. When comparing Polo to wang, I think Polo is "crunchier" but on the skinnier side.

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post #56 of 64
9/4/12 at 9:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Holdfast View Post

This is very illustrative; thank you for taking the time to photo/post. Your "type 3" (middle one) is certainly my favorite but I haven't seen them sold anywhere, so the few knits I have (all Polo IIRC) are type 2 and worn sparingly as a result. I'll keep an eye out for the middle type next time I think about getting a knit. Thanks again.

You're welcome. It seems to me that type 3 (crunchy and loose) is the most common one of the three. I suspect the maker is Nick Bronson. Howard Yount, Gallo and many others use this weave.
Edited by radicaldog - 9/4/12 at 10:15am
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post #57 of 64
9/4/12 at 10:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by radicaldog View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Holdfast View Post

This is very illustrative; thank you for taking the time to photo/post. Your "type 3" (middle one) is certainly my favorite but I haven't seen them sold anywhere, so the few knits I have (all Polo IIRC) are type 2 and worn sparingly as a result. I'll keep an eye out for the middle type next time I think about getting a knit. Thanks again.

You're welcome. It seems to me that type 3 (crunchy and airy) is the most common one of the three. I suspect the maker is Nick Bronson. Howard Yount, Gallo and many others use this weave.

 

I thought type 3 was "crunchy & loose"? Anyway, the one I like is the middle one in the pic; the beige/neutral coloured tie. Is that the one you mention as being HY/Gallo/etc? The Gallos I've seen seem a bit more tightly woven, but I suppose all manufacturers vary their spec for different runs.

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post #58 of 64
9/4/12 at 10:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Holdfast View Post

I thought type 3 was "crunchy & loose"? Anyway, the one I like is the middle one in the pic; the beige/neutral coloured tie. Is that the one you mention as being HY/Gallo/etc? The Gallos I've seen seem a bit more tightly woven, but I suppose all manufacturers vary their spec for different runs.

Yes, sorry. Edited the mistake above.
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post #59 of 64
9/4/12 at 11:16am
Here's one of those Rubis in action, which I would consider type 3:

http://ivorytowerstyle.tumblr.com/post/27633577727
http://ivorytowerstyle.tumblr.com/post/26150660886/new-vanda-pocket-square-in-action-with-a-rubinacci

and here's a KW:

http://ivorytowerstyle.tumblr.com/post/22934665243
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post #60 of 64
9/4/12 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 
^ Nice (though I tend to use the spotted ones with suits only). I think those are both n. 3 (crunchy and loose). Note how in n. 4 (crunchy and tight) the knots are tighter and slightly more on a zig-zag rather than a straight grid. One can see that quite clearly in my comparison shot of the two bicoloured ones above.
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