# Jean de Nimes - The Denim Theme



## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

*The Slingshot Theme*​
*What do Denim Jeans mean to you?*

American culture?810.96%Gold Rush?34.11%Working man's clothing?1317.81%Timeless fashion?1317.81%Fabric from Nimes, France?11.37%Trousers from Genoa, Italy?11.37%Trousers from San Francisco, USA?11.37%Fall of the Iron Curtain?22.74%'50s Teen culture?22.74%Tough and practical?1824.66%German immigrant's innovation?22.74%Cotton industry?22.74%Rock 'n Roll?56.85%Other? - please discuss22.74%

*Which name?*

Jean de Nimes1545.45%Eugene de Nimes26.06%Levi de Nimes1648.48%


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm going to do what I call a "Community Build" - it's something I've done with guitars before. I set out some starting terms and the forum community gets to choose the course of the design and the build as we progress through it. The starting terms for this build are that:

~ It will make use of my slab of denim/epoxy laminate:



















~ It will be one of my board-cut designs and use the denim laminate for scales or other adornments rather than the whole frame.

~ As implied by the thread name "Jean de Nimes", the slingshots produced will follow the theme of "denim jeans" somehow - more later

~ I will make as many as the slab will yield - I keep the first one, the second one will be given to the person who makes the greatest contribution of ideas and the rest will be up for grabs by sale or trade. I haven't worked out the details of determining the winner of the second slingshot, but a poll is likely.

~ Almost everything else will be decided by the SSF community as we go.

This is going to take a few months to get through as I'll ask for suggestions at each stage and do polls for various options. Not everyone's ideas will be utilised and you may not like the outcome yourself, but someone will and that's the nature of a lottery/committee approach like this.

*The Theme*

So, this thread is about formulating the theme for the build. I really like building up a story relating to the design and materials to make it something more than just a toy or tool. It's the story that makes old junk into an heirloom. Jean de Nimes is a fictional name playing on the supposed origin of denim jeans. Perhaps Eugene de Nimes would be even more historically correct? Or Levi? Wikipedia has the full story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeans

What I need from you guys are some ideas/history/background stories about what denim jeans mean to you. Discuss the idea and vote for as many things as you like in the poll and we'll see what it tells us about what a denim themed slingshot should look like.


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## Spectre (Jun 13, 2013)

I would choose more than one answer in that poll actually.

I went for the "Timeless fashion", but I also do think that they are "Working man's clothing" and "Tough and practical".

I also see it as a 'down-to-earth pants'. Yes, no doubt that in the market today, there are some specialized 'designer' jeans that would costs more than one complete set of my suits, but as I'm quite oblivious on 'designer' area, I still see it as a pair of jeans, not so different than mine


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## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

I am all over this Ash, after I finish my shift I am making myself some more micarta, personally I was going to try some kind of modern " dark denim " to give an alien skin effect when finished , I will follow this topic with great interest..


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

sex jeans, butt lifters, bulge enhancer, cowboy gear, work wear, tacticool, retro, 7 day wear, hippie jeans, all weather wear, rope, bondage, skinny jeans, tough, sexy, daisy dukes, man pants


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Check my old post


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Spectre said:


> I would choose more than one answer in that poll actually.


You can!

In the first question you can give multiple answers, the second question - choose one.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Levis and the gold rush. It is the top three for me. Levis became the working mans pants after the gold rush. That is just what I think of and I don't even know if it is historically correct. It is what has stuck in my mind from advertising over the years. It would be very cool if you could incorporate the buttons or snap clasps from the jeans into your design.
Wow you did an awesome job on the laminate it looks very uniform! You have a great project here and I have seen your skills from earlier work so I am looking forward to watching this project take flight. I could not resist that 
Oh yea the name levis is international I think.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

OOh to fit the theme it should be pocketable.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Good thoughts, Can Opener.

I'm imagining embossed copper rivets, maybe some kind of stitching vibe... yes, pocketable is a great idea.

Leather brand-patch for the pouch or some other part? Tabs? Red tabs?

Gold Rush imagery is one thing I remember from '80s Levi's ads. We had a Levis factory in the town I grew up in. They are indeed international. Despite this, I've never bought a pair of Levi's. They've always been pricey here.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Great idea ash, i will be following and participating with joy! That denim slab turned out wonderful! I was going to suggest that it have some sort of copper or brass rivets. I had another idea. You could do a complex laminate like a zipper up the middle of the slingshot! Or a few large pins, like button up fly type sh!t.









Kinda like a zipper thing going on.... you get the idea.


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## dan ford (May 13, 2013)

Nice post ash ! 
I'll be following this one with great interest. Just started tinkering with denim micarta myself but only for spacers .
Can't wait to see where you go with this one !


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

If you follow the Christian idea that God(?) created all of the animals and man; He/She/it was finished doing that and saw that only man was naked.

God then said, "Fur! I forgot the friggin' Fur! :slap: Sorry! Sorry! Here, have some denim!" And it was Good! :thumbsup:


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

U should integrate that Orange/Yellow Thread some how and that copper rivet and pocketable of coarse,

and I would love to take one ! ;-)

cheers


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Btoon84 said:


> Great idea ash, i will be following and participating with joy! That denim slab turned out wonderful! I was going to suggest that it have some sort of copper or brass rivets. I had another idea. You could do a complex laminate like a zipper up the middle of the slingshot! Or a few large pins, like button up fly type sh!t.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ooh, this is an idea! I know just how to do it, too.

An image is forming in my head already. it might end up being a case of choosing which good ideas to leave out!


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Tabs aren't a bad idea.... I like how with tabs, you can use tubes (obviously) but to me, it takes it to another level. Because tubes are a bit more rugged than flats, flats are sensitive. Tubes are hard working, and a good set will last forever. Just like a good pair of Eugenes.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

You're making a lot of sense, B-man.

I will ponder the potential of tabs made to look like the leather brand-patch or perhaps red nylon strap with a name on it.... copper rivets to secure the tabs to the fork, etc.

Hard working and durable seems to be the popular concept here.

While I think of it, some suggestions/thoughts on frame material would be good. I have a big sheet of 1/4" brown phenolic electrical board here. You guys would call it paper micarta. My Dad called it bake-e-lite. Tough as nails, possibly a suitable colour, certainly worth a look if I can machine it adequately.

Also the old favourite - birch ply.

Or any number of solid woods. Perhaps denim-washed curly maple... if I can find enough pieces.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Oh that denim wash Curly is sweet! Ya know, back to the denim thing...
(from wiki) "warp threads are dyed, whereas the weft threads remain plain white. As a result of the warp-faced twill weaving, one side of the fabric shows the blue warp threads, the other side shows the white weft threads. This is why jeans are white on the inside and what makes denim's fading characteristics unique compared to every other fabric"

You could use some thin maple or somethig similar between your glue ups for some "white" contrasts on the denim look.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I have some maple veneer, so that sounds like a plan. I'm leaning towards a micarta core with denim scales and maple veneers. Zip inlay on the front, stitching on the back. Copper rivets both sides and leather tabs for tubes or flats.

Seems like a pretty good match for the leading themes - Working man's clothing (shooter), timeless fashion, tough and practical.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

perhaps the finished slingshot could come in a jeans pocket pouch storage bag.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Good job the micarta.


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Can-Opener said:


> perhaps the finished slingshot could come in a jeans pocket pouch storage bag.


well i know a little bag factory in germany witch would be proud to do so "notsh notsh wink wink u know ho i mean ? "

cheers


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I do know what you mean, Leon  A place that needles call home.

That's a nice idea. Perhaps some collaboration is in order on this.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

So Ash, how's this McJean Sling coming along?


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Well, I made a board out of denim and started a thread about it. 

A few more decisions to outsource before I start hacking materials up. More during the week.


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## Jaximus (Jun 1, 2013)

The history of jeans is so long and varied it's kind of crazy when you think about it. Right now, today, they represent everything from high-fashion to absolute poverty. Perhaps you need to make two similar, but different slingshots. Each one to represent to two extremes, from coal miner to metrosexual. I mean, how can you truly represent the history of something as iconic as denim with just one slingshot?


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Waiting patiently. Very exciting project.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Thanks for the reminder, CO 

Well it seems clear that the leading themes are: Tough and practical, Working man's clothing, Timeless fashion

I think we can readily incorporate those aspects into the overall design.

Next we should probably look at some practical aspects. Tubes, flats, both? Symmetrical/ambidextrous? TTF/OTF/PFS?

Your thoughts? I'll put a poll up based on your suggestions and mine.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Seems that universal forks are very popular. I would guess that they would win in a poll. However for a theme SS I think it should reflect the preference of the maker. The SS dose not have to try to appeal to the masses and should stand out as a unique individual. I would go with your favorite fork tip or one that you think fits the theme best. Same for the rubber.
The frame style would be a traditional hammer grip in my opinion as it would be most recognizable as a SS to non SS people. Maybe that dose not matter.
You got the skills baby!!!!Keep that design cooking!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's the poll for the next set of options: http://slingshotforum.com/topic/25532-jean-de-nimes-bands-and-fork-tips/


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's the next poll! http://slingshotforum.com/topic/25844-jean-de-nimes-frame-shape/


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