Tiger ver Far East threads

[chrisash]

I understand that Tiger thread is probably the original  0.5 to 1mm Polyester sewing thread, but it comes at a price;  and only vast size rolls, so sold in smaller sizes by flat cardboard wraps

There are now plenty of seemingly other makes far cheaper, available from the far East; and I wonder how they stand up to Tiger in strength; and in the sunshine for long life

It's easy to say Tiger is good as I always have used it, but have people used the Far Eastern threads and found them lacking in anything, apart from number of colours available at this time

Price does not always mean a higher quality, over a lower price, sometimes just more profit for the maker

[rodneywt1180b]

I buy Tiger Thread from Egyptian Leather on Etsy.  Egyptian sells it wrapped on tubes instead of flat and gives great service.    I use only smaller amounts so it makes sense for me to buy smaller quantities for specific projects even if I'm paying a premium for the smaller amounts.

I haven't felt a need to try anything different.  If something is really low in price I tend to wonder what they left out.

[Madmax500000]

I’ve used stuff from China it’s sews fine but it’s not the same quality as tiger thread. Mostly the amount of wax. If you use amazon at all there are about 50 different sellers on there with hand sewing thread. Most are reasonably priced. Most sell different spool sizes as well so your not out $40 if you don’t like it.  On a side note make sure you read the reviews and questions on the sellers page because some of the item discriptions are quite vague. 

[FrankyLegs]

On 8/12/2018 at 10:04 PM, rodneywt1180b said:

I buy Tiger Thread from Egyptian Leather on Etsy.  Egyptian sells it wrapped on tubes instead of flat and gives great service.    I use only smaller amounts so it makes sense for me to buy smaller quantities for specific projects even if I'm paying a premium for the smaller amounts.

I haven't felt a need to try anything different.  If something is really low in price I tend to wonder what they left out.

Thank you for the Egyptian Leather seller on Etsy. Free shipping to the U.S. as well. Much Appreciated.

[bikermutt07]

Rocky mountain Leather supply also carries small spools of tiger. I think they are 25 meters for 5 or 6.99. But when you buy 5 you get one free.

They maybe longer than 25 but I can't remember. 

They carry a lot of nice stuff on their website.

[Dunluce]

I just bought some Amy Rose polyester thread and I like the way it sews and how it sits . Maybe it’s just me but I seem to have a problem with Tiger thread in that I keep catching it with the opposite needle when I an stitching and end up sewing through the middle of the thread. I don’t do that anywhere near as much with any other type of thread.

[zuludog]

On 05/09/2018 at 4:40 PM, Dunluce said:

I just bought some Amy Rose polyester thread and I like the way it sews and how it sits . Maybe it’s just me but I seem to have a problem with Tiger thread in that I keep catching it with the opposite needle when I an stitching and end up sewing through the middle of the thread. I don’t do that anywhere near as much with any other type of thread.

Interesting you should say that. I've had the same issue of piercing Tiger thread - very frustrating. but neither do I like the way it handles or feels, so I won't be using it again

I prefer linen, and I've found this supplier. She stocks several brands, including Fil au Chinois; lots of colours; and can supply short lengths and sample packs as well as full reels

https://www.kurzke.co.uk

I've looked at Amy Roke, is there a British supplier? So far I've only found one based in Hong Kong

A couple of months ago I bought some tools from Goods Japan. The tools themselves were OK, and the prices were reasonable, but then I had to pay 20% import duty to HMRC and £8 international handling fee to Royal Mail.

If the same applies to Amy Roke, plus the £6-45 shipping charge anyway, that would make it quite expensive 

Can't get the link to work, but can find the website if you put it in manually - www.kurzke.co.uk

Edited September 6, 2018 by zuludog

[Dunluce]

Zuludog, yes there is a British supplier. It is Artisan leather at

http://www.artisanleather.co.uk

Be aware there is a notice on the site at present announcing the owner is sick and no orders will be taken until early October but you can still have a look at what they have got. I have always found them helpful and a quick service. At present they have 0.45 and 0.65 mm. And it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than Tiger thread. 

[zuludog]

I think I bought an awl and some natural linen thread from Artisan a couple of years ago, and I was happy enough, but I forgot about them

Now you've reminded me I recall seeing their polyester thread and thinking that it seemed OK. and reasonably priced (so is their linen). Perhaps I'll order a roll or two; October is fine

Their tools look reasonably priced. I've just bought some edge bevellers and stitching chisels from Tandy and Goods Japan - wish I'd found Artisan first!

[wrz0170]

Interesting breakdown on cost of threads.   FWIW.

Tiger Thread .6mm  RMLeatherSupply  $6.75/25m + Free Shipping  = $6.75                                                           $.27/m

Fil au Chinois “Lin Cable” waxed linen .63mm RMLeatherSupply  $21.99/200m + Free Shipping = $21.99        $.10995/m

Vinymo MBT Bonded Thread  Size 1/ .6mm  District Leather Supply $6.75/60m +SH $3.29= $10.04                  $.1673/m

Japanese Polyester Thread .6mm  Crimsonhides  $5.82/45m +SH $7.27=$13.09                                                  $.29/m

Supersew MBT Poly Size 5/.6mm Fineleatherworks $9.97/100m +SH $7.00=$16.97                                             $.1697/m

*Kept at or around 6mm thread

** $USD / converted as necessary 

***don’t know if you can find smaller quantities.  I went with what was easily available without having to go into the dark web  

****obviously there are a $hit ton more out there.  

*****there may be a math mistake   I blame the bourbon

 

[LetterT]

To add the Chinese part to above:

Galaces waxed thread 0.55mm/113meters waxed polyester of ebay $4 + free shipping                 $0.035/m

Galaces waxed thread 0.6mm/95meters waxed polyester of ebay $5 + free shipping                 $0.05/m

Galaces waxed thread 0.8mm/78meters waxed polyester of ebay $2 + free shipping                 $0.025/m*

*Galaces as it seems to be the only reference to a brand on the spool

**Wuta should be a Chinese brand with solid quality for a few bucks more per roll, although I am having trouble finding any review

Edited September 7, 2018 by LetterT

[NVLeatherWorx]

21 hours ago, wrz0170 said:

Interesting breakdown on cost of threads.   FWIW.

Tiger Thread .6mm  RMLeatherSupply  $6.75/25m + Free Shipping  = $6.75                                                           $.27/m

Fil au Chinois “Lin Cable” waxed linen .63mm RMLeatherSupply  $21.99/200m + Free Shipping = $21.99        $.10995/m

Vinymo MBT Bonded Thread  Size 1/ .6mm  District Leather Supply $6.75/60m +SH $3.29= $10.04                  $.1673/m

Japanese Polyester Thread .6mm  Crimsonhides  $5.82/45m +SH $7.27=$13.09                                                  $.29/m

Supersew MBT Poly Size 5/.6mm Fineleatherworks $9.97/100m +SH $7.00=$16.97                                             $.1697/m

*Kept at or around 6mm thread

** $USD / converted as necessary 

***don’t know if you can find smaller quantities.  I went with what was easily available without having to go into the dark web  

****obviously there are a $hit ton more out there.  

*****there may be a math mistake   I blame the bourbon

 

Tiger thread is available at a cost but I buy mine from a supplier and my cost per yard is $.06.  I am also doing some testing for another gentleman who is looking to start up a thread company (he has in fact already committed to it at this point) and he is based in Texas.  His thread is manufactured in Germany, just like Tiger, and it is quite comparable at this point during my testing.  Yes, there are many other suppliers out there and I have used many of these threads over the years that I have worked with leather yet I still stick with Tiger because it has all of the things that I look for in a thread: durability, UV resistance, ease of use, and I can get it at a price that is less than what most of those Far East threads and other lesser threads cost.  

And welcome to the group, it is nice to see another person in here that is close to me (I am literally 36 miles away).

[wrz0170]

37 minutes ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

Tiger thread is available at a cost but I buy mine from a supplier and my cost per yard is $.06.  I am also doing some testing for another gentleman who is looking to start up a thread company (he has in fact already committed to it at this point) and he is based in Texas.  His thread is manufactured in Germany, just like Tiger, and it is quite comparable at this point during my testing.  Yes, there are many other suppliers out there and I have used many of these threads over the years that I have worked with leather yet I still stick with Tiger because it has all of the things that I look for in a thread: durability, UV resistance, ease of use, and I can get it at a price that is less than what most of those Far East threads and other lesser threads cost.  

And welcome to the group, it is nice to see another person in here that is close to me (I am literally 36 miles away).

Thank you kindly for the welcome!  Dipping my toe as it were for the first time in leather, I purchased a couple 25m spools of Tiger from RMLeather.  I guess you can say it will be my base line as I’m sure I will venture off to try others. 

Ar you down the CC way?

[chrisash]

I am new to Leatherwork, and have a number of different makes of hand sew threads, mostly in 0.6 and quite honestly,I cannot tell the difference in any of them, I generally buy Tiger as it was used by a expert on a video, and the price difference is so little its irrelevant to me with the small amounts I use.

 

What are you folk seeing that i am missing

[battlemunky]

The way it sews mainly @chrisash. Some stuff is a dream, some stuff you have to pay a bit more attention to things like how easy it pulls through leather, the finish it holds, strength. 

For instance, I like the Chinese knock-off Tiger thread. It behaves well for me and the strength is fine. But Tiger is a bit more waxed, or waxed with a different recipe or something, and it is a bit stiff and make it a wee bit easier for me to use. Given the availability and cost of Tiger though, I opt to sacrifice a little bit of ease of use on my part for the cost. They are very similar in my estimation. Also, I have noticed the Tiger thread seems to "scar" a bit compared to the knock-off. When you are sewing and you stab through the thread while coming through the whole, I can see it more when using Tiger than with knock-off Tiger.

Maybe its just me but those are a few things I've noticed.

[NVLeatherWorx]

15 hours ago, wrz0170 said:

Thank you kindly for the welcome!  Dipping my toe as it were for the first time in leather, I purchased a couple 25m spools of Tiger from RMLeather.  I guess you can say it will be my base line as I’m sure I will venture off to try others. 

Ar you down the CC way?

I am actually in Fernley, or as we call it - Ferntucky, just this side of Fallabama.

[NVLeatherWorx]

If you are performing the steps of the saddle stitch properly then there is no chance of stabbing through the thread as some have mentioned here in this thread.  The stabbing of the thread is only a risk if you pull one stitch all the way through then push your opposite needle through from the other side.  This also results in your stitching looking inconsistent, especially on the reverse side of your project.  Both needles need to be pushed into the stitching hole from each side and you need to ensure that you maintain the orientation of the needles from start to finish, even when doing your back stitch to end the line.

The only other suggestion I can offer is to make sure that when you are pulling your needles through the hole that you make sure that the trailing end remains below the needle on both sides of the leather to ensure that it lays in straight and consistently.  As easy as saddle stitching may seem it can create issues if not done properly and consistently and the outcome is not always pretty to look at.

[battlemunky]

42 minutes ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

If you are performing the steps of the saddle stitch properly then there is no chance of stabbing through the thread as some have mentioned here in this thread.  The stabbing of the thread is only a risk if you pull one stitch all the way through then push your opposite needle through from the other side.  This also results in your stitching looking inconsistent, especially on the reverse side of your project.  Both needles need to be pushed into the stitching hole from each side and you need to ensure that you maintain the orientation of the needles from start to finish, even when doing your back stitch to end the line.

The only other suggestion I can offer is to make sure that when you are pulling your needles through the hole that you make sure that the trailing end remains below the needle on both sides of the leather to ensure that it lays in straight and consistently.  As easy as saddle stitching may seem it can create issues if not done properly and consistently and the outcome is not always pretty to look at.

I still occasionally poke the other thread but I pull back on it every time to unpoke it before pulling both lines through to tighten, its part of my method. I've gotten a lot better at it but it still happens no matter how careful I am.

When backstitching though, you need to switch the order. Correct?

[NVLeatherWorx]

37 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

I still occasionally poke the other thread but I pull back on it every time to unpoke it before pulling both lines through to tighten, its part of my method. I've gotten a lot better at it but it still happens no matter how careful I am.

When backstitching though, you need to switch the order. Correct?

When I backstitch I keep my needles in the same position so that the second stitch will lay right on top of the first stitch.

[battlemunky]

6 minutes ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

When I backstitch I keep my needles in the same position so that the second stitch will lay right on top of the first stitch.

Right but don't you have to switch from left first right second to right first left second in order of lead needle? If that question even makes sense...  For instance if you start left needle first, when you do your backstitch you need to go right needle first. I read that somewhere and have always done it. I don't think I've tested it without doing it before...

[NVLeatherWorx]

16 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

Right but don't you have to switch from left first right second to right first left second in order of lead needle? If that question even makes sense...  For instance if you start left needle first, when you do your backstitch you need to go right needle first. I read that somewhere and have always done it. I don't think I've tested it without doing it before...

I am sure that there is someone out there who has said that and I am sure that there are several that have done it.  I always start with my right hand needle and keep it to the back of the hole (closest to my chest, some would call this the bottom needle) and the needle entering from the left will always go on the outer side of the right needle (away from my chest, this is what some would call the top needle).  I do this regardless of whether I am stitching forward or backward so as to maintain a consistent line and appearance.  And I always pull my needles straight out and away from the leather to ensure that the stitch lays straight on the line.  I have never reversed my process yet.

Check this thread to see what my lines look like on both sides. http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/81834-new-thread-company-advice/?page=2

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by NVLeatherWorx
Adding information

[battlemunky]

Yep @NVLeatherWorx, I've been following that thread (<----pun!). I totally wasn't questioning your quality, I know it's done right. I was trying to work my way through getting rid of a useless step in my own stitching

Apologies for the thread hijacking @chrisash!

[DJole]

I have some waxed colored linen thread purchased from Royalwood in Ohio. They are actually a basketry and beading supply store, but they offer various colors and plies (i.e. how many strands) of waxed linen. I've been satisfied with their thread, and the selection is quite good. 
Website: https://www.royalwoodltd.com/cat14-17ar.htm
I haven't used Tiger thread yet. I should get some to experiment with on projects.

[Dunluce]

9 hours ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

If you are performing the steps of the saddle stitch properly then there is no chance of stabbing through the thread as some have mentioned here in this thread.  The stabbing of the thread is only a risk if you pull one stitch all the way through then push your opposite needle through from the other side.  This also results in your stitching looking inconsistent, especially on the reverse side of your project.  Both needles need to be pushed into the stitching hole from each side and you need to ensure that you maintain the orientation of the needles from start to finish, even when doing your back stitch to end the line.

The only other suggestion I can offer is to make sure that when you are pulling your needles through the hole that you make sure that the trailing end remains below the needle on both sides of the leather to ensure that it lays in straight and consistently.  As easy as saddle stitching may seem it can create issues if not done properly and consistently and the outcome is not always pretty to look at.

Lie most others here I have tried several different threads but it is only with Tiger thread that I am more prone to the problem of stabbing the thread. I am not sure why but  it is what it’s is.  In addition actuallly prefer the way a round thread site especially with the  ‘slanted’ style of stitching.