What Is The Best Brand Of Bonded Nylon Thread

[harnessman]

Hi All

I am looking for some oppinions on Bonded Nylon for machine sewing. I am currently using nylon from Weavers and am not particularly happy with it as it seems to fray pretty easily going through the machine and leaves a lot of fuzz on the guides. I am using silicone lub on the upper thread and sew slowly so heat is not the issue.

I am trying to avoid buying several spools of $20+ thread to experiment with so I would appreciate some feedback on brands and where you get them from.

Thanks

Jim D.

[Art]

Hi Jim,

The best nylon thread that was EVER made was named Rice, no longer in production but you can find it in odd colors only, no more White, Black, Brown, or Natural exists except in the hands of stingy leatherworkers.

The next best nylon is Linhanyl (pronounced something like Lee-hain-eel in Port). Well bonded, somewhat lubricated, and the stretch is pretty well controlled.

Coats nylon is also pretty good, but I find it hard to get, or a better term is not consistently easy to get.

You might want to try the Thread Exchange, http://thethreadexchange.com/ where they have a lot of things put up in 2oz spools at about $6 so you don't have to get too invested to try something out. While they primarily ship Linhanyl Nylon, ask for it specifically. They ship quickly; I order on Monday, it is on my doorstep Wednesday.

Polyester is a different story, I like Coats DaBond and Eddington poly. Two different looks, the DaBond is tightly laid, and the Eddington is looser (for period gunleather). Both good, strong products.

For Linen, I only use Coats Barbour's in my Campbell. Hand stitch with it too.

I don't use A&E for anything anymore, nuff said.

As a hint, cut up pantyhose legs and put them over the spools to control spool unraveling, loosen up the tension just a little after doing this. You married guys know that women generate thousands of these things and won't miss them EXCEPT when they don't have an extra pair packed away and you steal their current ones, so find out what size she uses and buy a pair and put them in the back of your sock drawer OR you will be making an early morning or late evening run to the Safeway or 7-Eleven.

Art

Hi All

I am looking for some oppinions on Bonded Nylon for machine sewing. I am currently using nylon from Weavers and am not particularly happy with it as it seems to fray pretty easily going through the machine and leaves a lot of fuzz on the guides. I am using silicone lub on the upper thread and sew slowly so heat is not the issue.

I am trying to avoid buying several spools of $20+ thread to experiment with so I would appreciate some feedback on brands and where you get them from.

Thanks

Jim D.

[lazyd]

Jim, I have used nylon thread from Weaver for 13 years now and have not had a problem in my Adler 105-64. But I also have a Landis #1 and a #3. Now that is a different story ! The #3 is a wonderful machine, when it's working. It is real temperamental. It'll sew along nice for a long time, and then go into convulsions and ruin a nice piece. But, maybe its my thread. I am in the process of getting my #1 up and running, and was told on this forum not to use nylon in it. So, maybe that is the problem with the #3 also....??? Anyway that has been my experience with nylon, It seems to work great in the Adler but I have not used anything else so I have nothing to compare it to. What type of machine are you using ? Good Luck !---------------Bill

[harnessman]

Jim, I have used nylon thread from Weaver for 13 years now and have not had a problem in my Adler 105-64. But I also have a Landis #1 and a #3. Now that is a different story ! The #3 is a wonderful machine, when it's working. It is real temperamental. It'll sew along nice for a long time, and then go into convulsions and ruin a nice piece. But, maybe its my thread. I am in the process of getting my #1 up and running, and was told on this forum not to use nylon in it. So, maybe that is the problem with the #3 also....??? Anyway that has been my experience with nylon, It seems to work great in the Adler but I have not used anything else so I have nothing to compare it to. What type of machine are you using ? Good Luck !---------------Bill

Hi Bill

I use 69, 138 and ocasionally 207 in my Singer 211 and have not had any problems with that. I use 277 and up in my big Juky knock off cylinder arm that i purchased about 5 years ago from Neel Saddlery. It has proven to be a good durable and usefull machine. I also use 348 in my American straight needle for box work and some other stuff and do not get the fraying that I see on the free arm machine unless I crank the thread clamps way up. Yes, I have gone over all the rub points on the machine with a dremmel and buffed out all the rough spots. The currious thing is that I have not seen this in the past, it is only in the last year or so that I have gotten the fraying, probably the last 2-3 spools of 277. Come to think of it I had to clean a lot of fluff off of the Singer last time I used it, and that was with a new spool of 138. I have also noticed lately that the cut ends of the thread tend to unravel real easily. I think they have switched vendors.

Jim D.

[leatherjo]

Art -- Is this the same Linhanyl you referred to in your post above: http://www.linhanyl.com.br/produtos/couro_eng.asp

By "regular twist" do they mean "left twist"? I'm not sure what colors they carry, but it might be worth checking into -- even though it does not look like they still have a distributor in the United States.

[Art]

Art -- Is this the same Linhanyl you referred to in your post above: http://www.linhanyl.com.br/produtos/couro_eng.asp

By "regular twist" do they mean "left twist"? I'm not sure what colors they carry, but it might be worth checking into -- even though it does not look like they still have a distributor in the United States.

Yes, and "Z" is left.

Art