Tiger Thread Now In The Us

[Dangerous Beans]

Folks, some good news for you stitchers State side, Stefan at Ludlow Leather in Chicago has started stocking Tiger Thread (Ritza25) and John James Needles.

This should make life a lot easier for those wanting this thread.

Nige

http://ludlowleather.com/

[FoamerAce]

It appears they're only offering two sizes and only in black or white. If it's not available in a rainbow of colors and sizes, what's the point?

[jackd942]

Thanks Nigel.

[LTC]

+1 what foamerace said...

For the record, I did not "badmouth" anyone. I agreed with another poster about the lack of availability of any color except black and white.

Edited March 5, 2014 by LTC

[jackd942]

Gotta start somewhere...0.8 and 1mm in black and white seem like a pretty good place to start to me. I'm sure they'll add more colors and sizes if the demand is there. If they can't carry the full line right from the start, does that mean they shouldn't carry it at all?

Just got an email from Stefan. The black and white is just what they have in stock right now. He can order whatever color or size you want. They are also 500 meter spools.

Edited March 5, 2014 by jackd942

[Troy I]

I agree with Jack...gotta start somewhere...not all business owner's can stock everything all the time in all available styles, sizes or colors. Demand will show what will sell best. Ludlow Leather are great to deal with, if you have a special request contact them and ask...Instead of bad mouthing them!

[Feraud]

Gotta start somewhere...0.8 and 1mm in black and white seem like a pretty good place to start to me. I'm sure they'll add more colors and sizes if the demand is there. If they can't carry the full line right from the start, does that mean they shouldn't carry it at all?

Agreed.

[camano ridge]

Stefan, has posted a couple of times that he will special order what ever color you want. He started out with Black and White as he was sure those would sell. He had to put his money out there and jump through the hoops to get this stuff where we would be able to buy it. I am sure as time goes on and he gets a feel for what popular colors are he will probably stock more colors. For now I think we should thank him for taking the initiative to make this thread available in the US in any color.

[minimal Oz]

Nigel I just want to say your videos are awesome!

This is definitely a good news for Americans. Obviously there is a large demand in the US, so sooner or later tiger thread suppliers will come up.

In the contrary, in Australia where I live, the market is too small. So I don't expect to see any tiger supplier in the next few years. In fact it may never be.

This is why I had to order from UK, even though I'm still a rookie and it may take me 100 years to use up that 500m spool.

And by the way, I am selling some white threads by small amounts. anyone from Australia is welcome to try some tiger threads, and please help me to use the whole spool up in less than 100 years.

[WScott]

For the Canucks on here, there are a couple of Canadian Etsy shops selling tiger thread.... Rolls or sample size.

PM me and I can pass along the info

[FoamerAce]

...gotta start somewhere...Demand will show what will sell best.

But you can get black and white thread anywhere. Why should there be any demand for black/white tiger thread? What is the fetish for tiger thread? As far as I know the only thing that makes it a hand stitcher's MacGuffin, is that it is produced in assorted colors and 0.2mm incitements.

[JoeSnuffie]

I've been looking for this thread and it's nice to see someone starting to carry it.

FoamerAce, the reason I like the style is because it's braided. Since using the Tandy braided thread, I have no desire to use the stranded thread at all, except for when I am needing really thin thread. It is easier to pull through a diamond shaped hole and lays down in a much more attractive way when saddle stitching. It's also a lot easier to thread in a smaller needle because it can be pinched flat. I have 250 meters of a Chinese version in .8mm on the way now and if it's nice I'll be ordering a lot more colors.

This is a shot of the Tandy thread and it looks like about 1mm when compared to some .8mm that I have.

[camano ridge]

Yes you can get black and white thread any place but you cannot get black or white Tiger thread just anyplace. If you try a little and compare it to thread you can get from Tandy, Springfield etc. You will understand the difference. It is not just about color. However color is available just tell Stefan what color you want and he will get it if it is available.

[tiggertlee]

Just my $0.02, I just got a roll of Tiger from Stefan and have to say I'll never use Tandy thread again! The stuff is simply amazing...even if just white.....

[FoamerAce]

Just my $0.02, I just got a roll of Tiger from Stefan and have to say I'll never use Tandy thread again! The stuff is simply amazing...even if just white.....

Amazing how? What makes it so much better?

[jackd942]

Gotta say...I've wanted to try Ritza25 now for several months, but never wanted to pull the trigger on one of the little spools of it. Got my large spool in the mail today from Stefan (can't beat 2 day shipping) and wow...Hard to explain, but it beats the crap out of everything else I've ever tried. I immediately ran out to the shop and stitched up a couple of scraps and I don't really see going back to anything else. The only gripe I have is that I ordered white because that's the majority of my work, but the next two jobs I have call for black...guess I better place another order:)

[jackd942]

Amazing how? What makes it so much better?

Hard to explain, but it's the smoothness, the amount of wax that's applied to it, the way it's braided and the stiffness of it (without being too stiff). Don't know if that helps or not, but it's head and shoulders above the Tandy waxed nylon and the Tejas thread they carry IMO. I personally have never used linen. Of course I don't know how it will hold up over time, but I suspect at least as well as anything else.

Edited March 8, 2014 by jackd942

[tiggertlee]

For me the difference is that the Tiger thread lays flat, vs round with the Tandy. When stitching it just lays flat on the leather. Also the wax in the thread is amazing, it feels wonderful and "built in" to the thread not like the Tandy that feels like it is just caked on....

The Tandy thread tears up my hands when stitching, where as the Tiger is actually a pleasure to work with, it glides thru the holes so much easier too (probably the flat and the wax)....

I'll be ordering more for sure!

[JoeSnuffie]

tiggertlee, are you talking about the Tandy braided thread? I have 3 colors of the tandy braided thread and they all lay flat and have much less wax than the stranded stuff. It doesn't cake up in the eye of the needle at all.

It also has that 'stiffness' to it that jackd942 mentioned. I don't know how it compares to Tiger thread but I really like it.

This is a picture of the Tandy braided thread.

[tiggertlee]

tiggertlee, are you talking about the Tandy braided thread? I have 3 colors of the tandy braided thread and they all lay flat and have much less wax than the stranded stuff. It doesn't cake up in the eye of the needle at all.

It also has that 'stiffness' to it that jackd942 mentioned. I don't know how it compares to Tiger thread but I really like it.

This is a picture of the Tandy braided thread.

Oh interesting JoeSnuffie...I've never seen that at my local Tandy (Atlanta)...at least I don't think so. I've tried the "waxed Nylon Thread" (It is ok but tears my hands up) and the Tejas Waxed thread (did not like it one bit WAY too much wax)..as well as the plain nylon thread (way too thin)....but haven't seen what you are showing there, do you have a SKU # for it? I'll look next trip I go, and that seems to be quite often ;-)

[jackd942]

Oh interesting JoeSnuffie...I've never seen that at my local Tandy (Atlanta)...at least I don't think so. I've tried the "waxed Nylon Thread" (It is ok but tears my hands up) and the Tejas Waxed thread (did not like it one bit WAY too much wax)..as well as the plain nylon thread (way too thin)....but haven't seen what you are showing there, do you have a SKU # for it? I'll look next trip I go, and that seems to be quite often ;-)

tigertlee - I haven't seen it either, but it is listed as braided cord on their website...searching for thread does not pull it up. For a gold club member it is $4.80 for a 25 yd spool, so ~500m would run over $100 if my math is correct. At least by buying in the small spools...I did not see a large spool listed.

Edited March 9, 2014 by jackd942

[cem]

No there isn't any large spool for the Tandy braided cord, I enquired about it a year ago as I needed a larger amount of a colour that wasn't available in Tiger (Turquoise) none of the other braided thread manufacturers had it either and Tandy ended up discontinueing that colour anyway so I made do with dyeing some Tiger which worked out fine.

The main difference between Tiger and the Tandy braided cord is that Tiger has a smaller tighter braid. Out of all the other braided thread available, Mox from Paskals in Australia is probably the closest in looks and feel to Tiger.

[FoamerAce]

You dyed Tiger thread? So it's linen then. For some reason I thought it was nylon.

[cem]

No, Tiger is polyester and it is possible to dye it though most will tell you that you can't. If your interested I can put up some photos of the custom colours I have done.

[CountryStyle]

Ludlow is also selling 1.5" veg tan strips for $7 each. IMO that is a pretty darn good deal! I ordered some.