Thread Compatibility Of Nylon And Polyester.

[llucas]

I posted this in the sewing section, but no response so I'll put it here (since it has to do with sewing machine).

It is a newbie question. I recently purchased an Adler 205-374 that I am refurbishing. I am new to machine sewing leather having only hand stitched up to this point. I.e., I am an utter and complete novice who only knows not to put my finger under the needle when the machine is running. I recently purchased five one pound spools of 277 bonded nylon thread at a good price. For my holster sewing I purchased some 346 bonded polyester because I like the look of the heavier thread and the dealer only sold polyester thread. Here is the question: can I use the 277 nylon for the bobbin and the 346 polyester for the top stitch? Or should I only use nylon top and bottom or polyester top and bottom without mixing them?

Follow-up newbie question: does bonded nylon thread have a shelf life? This stuff is about five years old.

Edited November 24, 2015 by llucas

[Sonydaze]

I use both nylon and polyester, it is difficult to tell them apart. The polyester will stand up to sun exposure better than nylon. I wouldn't worry about mixing them.I like to use one size smaller thread on the bottom. Thread does get dry and lose strength over time, as far as how old is too old, I'm sure someone else will be able to give some advise.

Edited November 25, 2015 by Sonydaze

[llucas]

Sonydaze, thanks. A dealer told me they had a different "stretch rate" and that Polyester did not stretch as much as nylon. This forum is a great source of information from practitioners who have learned the hard way what works and what does not. Thanks again.

The reason I asked about shelf life and thread drying out is I used the older nylon when I was getting the machine up and running and it frayed pretty badly. If that is from drying out I wonder if the thread can be relubed with some kind of spray?

[llucas]

Another question for everyone: in your opinion who makes the best nylon and polyester thread? And who is the best seller of the brand?

[276ccm]

I think Serafil makes the best polyester :-) http://www.amann.com/en/products/serafil/

[llucas]

I did find a few links on the internet to thread lube. It comes in a tube and the spool is immersed and then dried. Anyone try this kind of thing to help with thread that is drying out?

Edited November 27, 2015 by llucas

[Wizcrafts]

My Cowboy CB4500 has an optional lube pot on the top of the machine. It is easy to fill it with liquid silicon lube and pass the thread through it. There are accessory magnetic mount lube jars that might have enough grip to stay on top of your machine. Just fill it with liquid silicon, or another solution of your choice and run the thread through it.

Loaded bobbins of dried out thread can be submerged in lube, then removed and left to hang dry.

Silicon lube is not the same as the coating that has dried off the spools. That was not just lube, but also contained a bonding agent/glue that held the twisted strands together. Weaver Leather sells a bonded thread that is actually wet to the touch and drips lube as it moves through guides and tensioners. I get the same effect by running well-bonded Cowboy thread through my lube pot with silicon in it. I only do this on rare occasions when I am sewing very dry, thick leather..

[llucas]

The reason I ask is I bought five one pound spools of 277 bonded nylon that is about five years old. While I was trying to adjust an old machine, the brown 277 thread frayed very badly. I read about lubing by immersing thread in a tub of lube and then drying it out before use. Being new to machine stitching I sew prefinished leather and veg tan. So far the older thread I am using frays. Is the older thread dried out? Can it be re-lubed and salvaged? New to this world of sewing leather with a machine. Should I throw the older thread away and buy new thread?

Edited November 27, 2015 by llucas

[Wizcrafts]

Buy a gallon of silicon lube from an industrial sewing machine dealer and pour it into a jar large enough to hold 1 pound spools of thread. Place the spools into the solution for several hours each. Let them drip dry on a baking rack in a cookie pan.

If this doesn't solve the fraying problem, cut your losses and buy fresh thread. Buy lubricated thread. The best ones I've bought are Cowboy and Weaver brands of bonded thread. Campbell-Randall bonded polyester is right up there as well. Others may be as good, but I can't say for certain.

Note: some bonded black thread may be double dyed and can come off the spool like a coil spring (twisty). This type of thread will give you fits as you sew.

[llucas]

Wiz, thanks for sharing your wisdom. I will do as you suggest. The 277 I bought from a company that went belly up. the 346 I purchased new from Campbell-Randall. If the older 277 can be saved it would save me a lot of money. Thanks for the practical suggestion. I will try it.

This forum is a great source of practical and pragmatic experience.

Edited November 27, 2015 by llucas

[Constabulary]

I think Serafil makes the best polyester :-) http://www.amann.com/en/products/serafil/

I agree - AMAN serafil, synton and rasant is what I like best

[llucas]

What makes Aman Serafil better than the competing brands like Cowboy?

[Darren Brosowski]

Serafil is a High Tenacity Polyester and not a bonded thread.

It has pros and cons like all threads but I prefer it as it has a nice "feel" and does not wear the thread path as much as bonded nylon. It also has excellent resistance to all sorts of nasties and is often used in applications such as sail making.

Bonde Polyester probably has the best UV resistance and the top quality brands have a lovely waxy finish.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

I've really tried to get down to the nuts and bolts, break things down, research books, the web, ask thread and material guys questions, and I've come up empty; where and when and for what should I use a nylon or a poly, and why? If anyone knows, fill me in, I've tried on my own.

See attached, this is the best attempt to figure out this, in my opinion anyways.

Here's the one for Nylon, both were too large to upload on the same post.

Polyester-Thread-Information.pdf

Nylon-Thread-Information.pdf