More silk

[Soft-hackle]

Hi all,
I ordered some silk sewing thread from this place. I like the sewing thread for making bodies on soft-hackles. It's a bit heeavier than Gossamer, but not as heavy as button-hole-twist, although they stock silk button-hole-twist as well. I have also ordered a spool of their Kimono silk thread to test it out for tying. I am waiting for it to arrive and will report on it when it comes. The thread I ordered was the #50 Tire silk. It is beautiful, shiny, and I'm sure it will blend nicely on the hook shank.

http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/cat ... scription/

Mark

[hankaye]

Soft-hackle, Howdy;

Mark, lookin' forward to your thoughts on this...

hank

[wayneb]

Interesting, Kimono silk looks remarkably like YLI silk. I wonder if the buttonhole silk is the same thickness as what has been used in the past?

Wayneb

[Soft-hackle]

Okay, I received my silk, today. It was very difficult to determine which silk was finer, The Superior Kimono silk or Pearsall's Gossamer. Initially, the Gossamer looked finer, and it think it might be because the twist of the Gossamer seemed tighter/smaller. After waxing the Kimono with plain beeswax, it appeared finer than the Gossamer. It tied well on the hook, and I'd hate to have to live on the difference between them if there is one. The one thing I like about the Kimono is you get more on the spool-220 yards for $5.99. The spool, however, is large-too large for placing in a bobbin, so I hand wound some on an empty tying thread spool like that from Uni-thread. This worked fine.,

Conclusion: You might order a spool to see what you think. I do like the Tire #50 for abdomens, although I think it could be a hair heavier. Perhaps the Tire #30 might be better, but it's a bit more money. I might order the button-hole-twist to check it out.

Mark

[Kelly L.]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. They do have a nice selection of colors! I wonder too, if the fifty, or the thirty would be better.

[Soft-hackle]

Kelly,
For actual tying, the #30 or #50 would be too heavy. For bodies on soft hackles, they'd be excellent. The Kimono is their finest silk.

Mark

[William Anderson]

Mark, these silks look like they open up some new territory. I've spent some time recently watching all the great steelhead patterns being posted and something like this seems to fit the bill.

[gingerdun]

If it turned out to be a good substitute for Pearsall's, this would be a great development Mark. I wonder if anybody on the forum has way for testing the strength of thread? I think a friend of mine has such a device, so I have left a message.

Lance

[Mike Connor]

These simple devices and equipment will test thread strength very accurately;

http://www.ehow.com/how_12001254_test-t ... ength.html

http://matse1.matse.illinois.edu/metals/e.html

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/188977main_Tens ... _Stand.pdf

TL
MC

[gingerdun]

Good info Mike. Have you done this? Do you recommend one method over another?
A friend of mine is in the process of purchasing a building near the Long Island Sound that once was a fishing net factory. The line-strength testing machine is still there, and my friend has expressed interest in trying it out. If he can make it work, I may be able to out-source this to him, and save myself the trouble. More later.
Lance