How to Distress Jeans Without Using Sand Paper

Steps

1. Place a small block of wood (or anything similarly flat, solid, and sturdy) on the underneath side of the fabric where you want to create a distressed-looking area (e.g. put the wood inside the pantleg to work on the outside of the pantleg).
2. Use one hand to hold the jeans in place.
3. Shave in short, light strokes away from your hand across the area you want to distress, slowly wearing away the jeans. (It's almost like shaving yourself.)
4. Blow the lint out of the razor every few strokes so that it won't become clogged.
5. Move the block of wood to another area you want distressed and repeat steps 2 through 4.

Tips

• To distress only small patches, place a piece of folded-up paper (the size of the desired worn area) on top of the wood underneath the area you want to distress. Elevating this smaller area makes it easier to shave just that spot.

Warnings

• Shave away from the hand that's holding the jeans in place so that you don't cut yourself if your shaving hand slips.
• Check the surface of the jeans every few strokes of the razor to make sure you are not cutting holes through the fabric (unless you want holes).
• Do not wear the jeans while shaving them