[Caitlin]

I really wish Power Pro came in more colors, but I got used to the moss green for black because it does look grayish. Also, it is a bit rougher on the hands than silk, however it does not cut at all- as one poster (who hasn't used it) claimed.
Here is a picture of a 60" rope I made with the white powerpro. I hang it doubled on a wall in the bathroom where it has a better humidity than most areas of Tucson. NO stretch at all. (Well it has a 4% stretch factor which does render it perfect for big heavy pearls.)

This one has been in existence for about a year (255 knots, if I remember correctly), hanging when worn and when not worn.

[Caitlin]

Here is a long heavy Klonk necklace. If I recall correctly the smallest pearl is 14mm perpendicular to the hole, the largest about 16mm. I hung this up in the bathroom too before I gave/traded it to another P-Ger.

[Caitlin]

Here is my "lumps of coal" necklace just a few hours after stringing on black, wet and waxed silk. I let it dry before I strung it up. You can see how stretched it is. grrr. This is the one that sent me on the quest for a better knotting thread.

Unlike most of you I use a lot of commercial grade beads. Large dyed blacks often have chips out of them. These came from Majestic ($10 a strand) a couple of years ago, they are the biggest klonks I have ever owned. My sister has them now. The necklace is about 30" long.

[knotty panda]

I'm not upset, I just confuse easily. Ok, I remember the thread thread. I'll go back read it to see if I jog my memory. Not trying to prove I'm right, but for me it works. At any rate, I'm still willing to post pics before and after, even though the before was almost a year ago! How long did I say for? I just don't recall.

[Caitlin]

Update, I am still wearing the same bracelet. It's been 9-10 months now. No Difference. It looks newly knotted and maintains spectacular luster, no abrasion on the pearls from the knots, knows still tight as the day I made it for this challenge. Waiting for batteries so I can make a photo.....

[barbie biggs]

So Caitlin:
Just out of curiosity, where's the picture?

barbie

[Caitlin]

I went outside today and managed to get one good pic before the batteries ran out. For better or worse, here it is:

I wore this for 1 year solid. Everyday. Through sweat, dirt, dish detergents and almost 365 showers.

[GemGeek]

Guess I'll have to pick up some Power Pro! And maybe you can show me your knotting technique!

[Pearlcat]

Wow -- what a pretty bracelet!

I love Power Pro. It's so much more forgiving and easier to work with than silk. However, I still use silk for darker dyed freshwaters.

By the way, the lowly beaders probably know this and I'm late to the table but Dandyline makes a black spectra line similar to PowerPro. There are a couple of caveats though. The first caveat: I usually use 20lb PowerPro doubled up, which works for most anything. The 20lb black Dandyline, although it's supposed to be identical diameter and strength, is definitely thinner. When I double it up, the knots are too small and pass through most pearls. I would recommend going with whatever you use with PowerPro plus 10lbs of strength to get an equivalent.

The second caveat is that the line isn't dyed but coated -- so your hands end up black when using it. The upside is that it's not too black and can work for a variety of darker color pearls.

Attached are pictures of pearls purchased from ebay seller LEI FAMILY JEWELRY-2 that I strung with Dandyline.

I would use Power Pro exclusively if it came in different colors!

[pattye]

Pearlcat, Just look at the colors on those! Excellent!! Looks terrific on you, I must add! What is the size on those?

Caitlin, your pearls look totally unharmed by their immersion in the elements!

[GemGeek]

I agree, those pearls look awesome on you!

[Caitlin]

The pearls fared better than than the thread. To my eye the knots look the same, but the macro view says they are a bit roughed up. But this was far more intense wearing than anyone gives their solid nacre pearls. So, don't worry about it, your CFWP will hold up great. They are tough and resilient and actually love water.

Someone want to try that with silk? Or linen? Or Griffon. (lots of colors)I'll put this back on for another year, if someone wants to test silk against powerpro on some inexpensive, but pretty fw's?.

You know I have been recycling since 1971, and for many years disdained plastic items and always tried to get something not plastic. So, it was cotton, silk or sinew for me when it came to beading thread.

I really did not lighten up on this ideology, until I tried to knot the infamous "Lumps of Coal Necklace" These very rough, round, dyed black pearls of 14-17 mm stretched the silk. I just saw a photo of it today, maybe on this thread?

[Pearlcat]

Thanks for the compliments! I loooove the colors although they appear darker in the pictures than in real life. More blue and greens in person. They were advertised as 7mm and best I can measure with my cheapy plastic mm measurement tool from Michael's, they are, indeed 7mm. Wish I could get some more!

Caitlin -- Yup, the lumps of coal do appear in this thread. Did you ever re-string it? I understand your comment regarding plastic and have had an ever-so-slight twang of guilt re: Power Pro. But heck -- I've wasted more Griffin (and money) through breakage while stringing then I care to admit. I guess one can say I'm a "hard stringer." (I must be honest and admit I did break Power Pro once while stringing -- but only once!)

Gotta say I think Power Pro wins hands down.

[akoya]

Hi everyone,

While trying to knott two graduated strands of south sea baroque cultured pearls I found out that the biggest ones in the middle, 13mm,
made a rattling noise. Like the implanted bead banging on the nacre.It was very difficult to pass the needle through.
Could baroque cultured pearls be hallow?
I would appreaciate your imput.

Akoya

[Sueki]

Hi Akoya,
Yes, I've had akoyas, South Sea and other bead-nuked pearls where the bead is loose inside the nacre.
The pearls aren't hollow, but the bead has spun around so the drill hole no longer lines up with the hole in the nacre.....
Very frustrating...
But I've always managed to re-align it (takes a great deal of patience).

This was discussed on a thread here somewhere, and Jeremy wrote that he's come across the same thing too.