[Caitlin]

Silk Thread.

Silk was unraveled and used for the first time in China about 27 centuries ago. Most histories say it was the Empress herself who figured it out. More than half the world’s silk is still produced in China, with India following second. Indai has four kinds of silk producing moths and China sticks with the original mulberry eating moth.

Silk is a protein fiber made from secretions from the jaws of silk-producing caterpillars. The caterpillar extrudes the silk in a long thin thread which wraps around itself in a cocoon. Man must intervene in order to get the silk intact. The caterpillar is thus killed in the cocoon right before it hatches into a moth. The cocoon is immersed in hot water and unrolled into one long filament 300-900 meters is typical. It takes several filaments to make thread for clothing. Broken pieces of silk filament are also used, but the product is not considered as good as the unbroken threads.

(For Slraep. As recently as 2001, child laborers in India did the major part of the work of killing and cleaning the moth out of the cocoon, then unsticking the threads so they can be unwound.. The children must keep their hands in hot water during this process and many have lots of burn scars from the hot water.See Blood on Silk, a Frontline production) http://www.flonnet.com/fl1801/18010660.htm )

Properties of Silk

Silk takes color well and can be dyed into thousands of shades of colors.

[Silk Thread is an elastic, though very strong thread, http://www.redrockthreads.com/silkthread/ ]

silk stretches and degrades with frequent exposure to body oils, soaps, etc., http://www.abeadstore.com/tips_1_stringing.html

Perspiration and sunlight weakens and yellows silk fabrics. Upholstery and drapery fabrics that contain silk should be protected from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. http://www.fabrics.net/amysilk.asp

Strength: Silk is the strongest natural fiber. The continuous length of the filaments provides greater strength.
Elasticity: The elasticity of silk varies and it can be stretched from 1/7 to 1/5 than its original size. The fiber does not sag much.
Resilience: Silk has a high resilience, and therefore resists wrinkling and also retain its shape. Fabrics made from short-staple spun silk have less resilience.
Absorbency: Silk has good absorbency, contributing to its comfort in a warmer atmosphere. The fiber can absorb about 11 percent of its weight in moisture. This property helps to print and dye the fiber easily.
Heat Conductivity: Silk is a protein fiber and also a non conductor of heat. It can be used for manufacturing winter wear and often blended with other fibers to manufacture high quality home furnishings. http://www.textilefurnishings.com/silk-properties.html

When it is dry the elongation (elastic recovery) varies from 10-25% and when wet it will elongate as much as 33-35%. Silk has a relatively high standard moisture regain of 11%. At saturation the regain is 25-35%.
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/animals/exploitation/silk_worm.php

[Caitlin]

While I used silk for years, and still do, I am taking the position that silk is not necessarily the best thread for pearls. My point being is that it is OK to explore threads other than silk. All threads , including silk have pluses and minuses.

I have found silk thread to knot pearls to often be an inferior choice because of many of its natural properties. The colors of silk threads are silk's strongest suit, in my book.

I find the stretchy tendency of silk - especially when the pearls are large or in ropes with weight- to be exasperating. In any case, the stretchy quality is a built in obsolescence- for the sake of the silk - not the pearls.

Silk frays with any kind of abrasion, it degrades with body secretions, and it soaks up sweat and oils as readily as it soaks up water.

As a beader who made her first necklace with seed beads and monfilimant fishing line- I have explored every thread available to beaders. I have used most of them, including artificial sinew to do projects. I even like wire for necklaces; I have used it a lot-- and I see it used on pearls all the time.

when I order finished pieces from China, I am surprised that they almost always use nylon thread of some kind, even though many claim it is silk. Yeah. like "Tahitian Black" is some kind of Tomfoolery.

Any way, I was one of the first to buy detulon; I had trouble with it kinking just before you pull it tight. It must be spun in the wrong direction for me.....or something.

So I just want to make the case that silk is not the only alternative for knotting; there are other alternatives that lack the stretchy and absorbent qualities of silk.

[jerin]

Caitlin,

I agree when it comes to logic, that there are lots of other stringing materials that are perhaps better and do not stretch - I use those materials almost always on my heavier strands - BUT THE LUXURY FEELING OF SILK IS UNBEATABLE.

Just think of your underwear and silksweaters.....

[boo]

Caitlin, I think we must have similar knotting styles. I adore PowerPro and am not afraid to say it (although I really do wish it came in a different, non-sportsman-related palette of colors!) I had the same problem with the Detolon kinking, and I have tons if anyone would like to try it for themselves - just pm me and I'll mail you some (I use it for hanging party decorations and other general household uses, but will never knot with it again). On the other hand, KnottyPanda likes it just fine, so I think you may be correct and it depends on your style/sidedness of knotting. I like silk for tin-cup style necklaces where there is not a lot of weight to pull the silk and where the color is more of a design element, but I use PowerPro for the vast majority of my knotting. If only it came in a pretty pink or silver...

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

I have known many pearl strands to break. In fact, that is the reason for the knots…

Never know what may strike a chord here at Pearl-Guide…

My presence here, as many know, resulted from our lucky acquisition of the natural pearl necklace Te Poe O Te Kuki Airani, featuring 1700 golden poe pipi on 12 strands. As the forum also knows, I was totally ignorant of pearls at the time, operating on pure instinct.

There are no knots in 'Te Poe.' —Images of disaster!— Before purchase I actually thought to ask its creator what the stringing material was. The reply was more or less 'why, silk, of course!'

Fraying is evident after minimal use. Upon restringing we have 3 objectives: Get a carat weight for the pearls (as the necklace was produced in an organic manner, evolving as it went), a routine cleaning and a good look at the options for thread material!

Steve

[knotty panda]

Steve, silk only frays if the silk isn't properly prepared. No knots is the custom in some countries. Were I you, I wouldn't have a single qualm having your beauties strung on silk. I believe you'll find the drape of the piece much more pleasing as well. I would be more concerned with having that piece strung with an abrasive material.

[Caitlin]

Here is a link to previous discussions on the topic. It happens to be the thread in which Knotty first posted. I was interested to see the evolution in positions of all of us since then. That is the thread where I used silk for my very heavy pearls and went on the hunt for an alternative.

As for drape, there is no difference in drape in a bracelet or necklace between silk and other threads. Even a very long rope can't be discerned as draping better with silk. I used silk to knot for years, until I tried to knot the Lumps of Coal necklace. Now I see its limits and I prefer Power Pro for everything. I strung my Bahraini pearls with it and they seem to like it just fine. And even if I catch it on something and pull before I realize it, it will not break. The pearls range from 1mm to 7mm and I knotted between each one. It drapes better with knots than without.
Steve,
Paspaley uses nylon. It does not fray like silk- however silk is prepared. It does not need glue. (Silk doesn't either, but most people don't seem to know that, even the best professionals.) I would not presume to tell you what thread to use, but I am sure you will look at the alternatives for yourself. The linked thread is quite interesting and has a lot of info. Several of us have been exploring threads for the last year -and sharing as we go.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

When beads of the same kind are placed side by side on any type of stringing material…the beads are more abrasive.

Yes, this is also clear. RE Te Poe O Te Kuki Airani, the 100% nacre composition of the natural pearls lessens this worry, but would appreciate comments regarding the appropriateness of knotting on the second stringing. It would change the design, I suppose**. But we would not be averse to a longer version of the same necklace, as an extender has been contemplated on occasion for more frontal presence.

Steve

**I suppose we would then need to consider changing the name to Knotty Te Poe O Te Kuki Airani ??!!

[smetzler]

Lots happening here between posts! Of course above all else we must respect the traditions represented by the piece.

[Caitlin]

When did the Cook Islands pearlers start using silk? What did they do before the Europeans (or was it Asians?)got there? Wouldn't using silk encompass a fairly short time in history compared to what they did before? Why did they switch? Was it because silk was better? What if there is something better than silk?

[silverseajewelry]

[quote=Caitlin Williams;25919]I also think wire is fine for stringing and know that I am not the only one who uses it. Sometmes the pearls/beads kind of settle though and let the wire show through at the ends. So, I mainly use it when I am trying out Ideas. Once I get one I really like, I switch to a good knotting thread. When I do use wire, I still use gimp and a crimp bead cover.

I don't use wire anymore for any kind of pearls. One word of caution is that, for some reason or another, it always seems to expand the drill holes, and this happens in a rather short period of time. Then you have limited options if you decide to restring in silk.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

When did the Cook Islands pearlers start using silk?

Caitlin, I'm afraid the pre-European jewelry traditions in the Cooks would be represented exclusively by Polynesian ceremonial costume. This means shells, and of course, primarily the spectacularly 'blingy' pipi. The tradition referenced in my prior post would be that of the world of natural pearls, or the world of pearls prior to WWII.

[jerin]

Hi Knotty,

I am just too plain lazy to search through the threads. Could you once again write a post about the carrier line-method?

And the Beeswas: I don´t like the feel of it on the silk and it doesn´t matter fore me as I like to string anyway. But please at least a short comment for all our newcomers on this forum, thanks.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by boo

Caitlin, I think we must have similar knotting styles. I adore PowerPro and am not afraid to say it (although I really do wish it came in a different, non-sportsman-related palette of colors!) I had the same problem with the Detolon kinking, and I have tons if anyone would like to try it for themselves - just pm me and I'll mail you some (I use it for hanging party decorations and other general household uses, but will never knot with it again). On the other hand, KnottyPanda likes it just fine, so I think you may be correct and it depends on your style/sidedness of knotting. I like silk for tin-cup style necklaces where there is not a lot of weight to pull the silk and where the color is more of a design element, but I use PowerPro for the vast majority of my knotting. If only it came in a pretty pink or silver...

Hi Debbie,

I use and have used Detolon for my heavier strands and it did kink only one time so I am using it primarily for all the larger pearls. I have it in two sizes, one thinner than the other and it works just fine. I also have used Power Pro, my white one is finished and it too was OK, but I thought it was a bit harsh on my fingers (I had the size that could wear 30 lbs, if I remember correctly.

Caitlin: On all my lighter strands I prefer silk, even if I cannot feel it after stringing, but just knowing the pearls get a stringing material they deserve and the colours I want, makes me ignoring all other facts, that may be negative. If there is a strand that has stretched, I happily restring it... and so far not one of my strands has broken.

Power Pro of course does not stretch and probably is the most safest when the strand is yanked, but I still think that silk is a very nice stringing medium even though it is the mystery of it that gives me personally that feel of being something special...

[Valeria101]

Carrier line... even searching didn't lead to much: a search recovers just six posts with these words in them and none with an explanation . The best one that came up was that bit where you say Paspaley uses it too to obtain nearly invisible knots (LINK)!

Would you start a new thread for the 'carrier line', Knotty Panda ?

Is it THIS the stringhing method in cause? (from the 'Stringhing Pearls' thread).