This is a good point - when this conversation started, I wasn't sure if wearing your kit to change the oil or stain the deck or something like that counted as 'artificially aged' or not. They aren't exactly period activities, in many cases, and they are generally very dirty chores, so part of me thinks they would be considered 'artificial.' On the other hand, they are real activities, with the counter-intuitive staining, accidental smears and whatnot of real work. Certain stains are earned in period-ish activities - for example, I accidentally dumped a .69 barrel full of dirty blackpowder solvent on the slop hose a few weeks ago. When I eat I eat with deliberate mess - wiping my mouth with my sleeves, complete disregard for what a I spill - but the spills themselves are accidental. I have used my garments to clean rusty or dirty equipment - is that artificially aging? I think it might be more of a spectrum than a dichtomy - plus, won't those artificially aged garments naturally age and aquire stains?
I don't mean to appear defensive. I'd say I've done it both ways, and all in all 'natural aging' is more... FUN, I guess, but even then you artificial aging will be covered up or complemented by natural aging. Although, to be clear, I don't really wash my garments much - I don't want to lose the crud that's accumulated. I do wash my shirts and socks, though, and I have washed clothes when blatently artifical stains are present (like those left by gatoraid). I use a few drops of baby shampoo, though, instead of detergent. I had a jacket that smelled like bug spray - don't ask - which is a smell that I can tolerate except when it's mixed with the smell of old campfire smoke. Plus it smells so artifical and modern to me that I doused the jacket in hot tea three or four time. I lost some grime but got ride of the smell.
Is there another thread on artifical aging? I would be interested to see what some specific techniques and their results are.
EDIT: Nevermind - here's one.