Traditional thread material use

[BruceWampler]

I was taking apart a rotten (or rotted) sheath that I can date to between 1936 & 1944. The external threads were pretty much gone, but the interior threads were intact. They look like natural fibers, and pass the burn test. My guess is they are cotton. I have read of gut and linen being used traditionally in hard leather goods. My question is, I have access to high quality cotton thread, and some hemp twine. Both are well made with minimal thick spots. I will be waxing whatever I end up using. Can anyone tell me their knowledge or experiences using these particular fibers.

[fredk]

I doubt that the threads originally used were cotton but perhaps more likely linen. If you want to replace with traditional thread, waxed linen or the hemp is what I'd use. I've found that even the best cotton thread is unsuitable for sewing and joining leather. My preference for traditional is waxed linen