anyone (thrifters) advice on how to 'freshen' a tie?

I just got a bunch of used silk ties, and it looks like the seller/shipper had ironed them. The weave isn't messed up and the threads seem fine, but the ties are very flat. Any of you hardcore thrifters or ebay buyers have advice on freshening or fluffing ties? Should I try dry-cleaning?

they are ruined

Dry cleaning is really a last resort to removing stains. They may be ruined as breakfasteatre said but give them a good steam before hand and see if that works before you go an piff them all out.

not sure how much it'll help, but you may want to try tie crafters: http://tiecrafters.com/contact.html

Originally Posted by appolyon

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but give them a good steam before hand and see if that works before you go an piff them all out.

+1. One of my ex. girlfriends accidentally ironed several of my ties (in an attempt to be nice) and ruined a bunch - but I was able to salvage a lot of them by giving them a good steaming.

Wrinkling, steaming and wearing them (and repeating the process) helped save several of those ties. Definitely worth a tie^W try.

What exactly happens when a tie is ironed that ruins them?

Originally Posted by Sartorian

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I just got a bunch of used silk ties, and it looks like the seller/shipper had ironed them. The weave isn't messed up and the threads seem fine, but the ties are very flat. Any of you hardcore thrifters or ebay buyers have advice on freshening or fluffing ties? Should I try dry-cleaning?

Email the seller & tell him he's an idiot. Then explain why.

Originally Posted by stickonatree

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not sure how much it'll help, but you may want to try tie crafters:

http://tiecrafters.com/contact.html

Good suggestion. If Tiecrafters cannot fix the ties, the ties are ruined.

You could also try steaming, either with a hand-held steamer or by putting the ties in the bathroom while you shower. Try to get the tie near the steam, but don't get it wet! Good luck!

Originally Posted by bigbris1

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Email the seller & tell him he's an idiot. Then explain why.

Yes, I didn't realize you had just got the ties. If you can return them, do so. The chances are not so good that the ties will come out like you might want them to. I had a house fire several years ago and I gave a dry cleaner my 100+ collection of vintage (1930's-1940's) neckties to clean. When I got the ties back, many were ruined from being mashed flat.

Steam is the only hope.

Originally Posted by bigbris1

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Email the seller & tell him he's an idiot. Then explain why.


Thanks for the responses. I'm not going to name the person, but the seller's a regular SF member/poster (esp. in politics & c.e.) Wouldn't we expect such a person would understand this basic rule?

As I said, the ties are flat (with slight indentations from the back end pressing against the front end). Why would you iron a damn tie?!

He got them ironed, realized what you realized, then dumped them off.

Ah, paid very little for these, so I'm going to let it slide. Seller contacted me in response to my PM and claimed these were in the condition he got them and that 'it's common with vintage ties.' I replied I have only bought thrifted/ebay ties (and some from SF members) and none are 'flat' like so.

What a drag, I hate it when a person's just kind of, ah, lame.

BTW, seller has well over a thousand posts on this site. Oh, yeah, his other big point was that he'd sold all of his stock (like 30 ties). As if that means they're not flat, sitting here in my hand. Pfft.

If you're going to be a seller, don't dump crap on others w/o informing 'em it's crap.