Hi I've just tried to get through all of the information on this thread. You said you really only need to redo a pearl necklace or bracelet when the French wire looks tatty with beader's secret or serafil. I'm currently using serafil which I love my question is do your knots ever show wear? Or do you not a pieces you wear nearly everyday? I'm starting to think it's my style of knotting that's causing the problem.I have bumpers in my GSS necklace and it hangs very comfortably, but not quite as loosely as knots.
Edit: See my post #158 below. It turns out that the wire on which my GSS are strung is the cause of the lower flexibility. When thread is used as the stringing material, the bumpers do not reduce flexibility; I've tested it.
The bumpers, being lenticular in shape, are a tiny bit narrower than a knot. So if you have a necklace that hangs just a wee bit too long, bumpers may help it to shorten it that little bit. I am thinking of restringing my WSS necklace with bumpers for that reason.
I have found that with heaver pearls in particular, small gaps eventually show up even when stringing with Serafil or Beader's Secret. It's not that the thread stretches-- I believe the knots just get tighter over time, thanks to the weight of the pearls. I think the bumpers may help with this problem as well.
Just one caveat: knots also serve to secure the pearls in case the thread breaks. Bumpers will not serve this purpose. However, I have never had a thread break. And Serafil or Beader's Secret is quite strong-- 24# when doubled. Usually I end up restringing periodically anyway, when the gimp starts to look tatty.
Stringing Tutorial with photos: Stringing on Serafil, Beaders Secret & Power Pro
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BWeaves
Well-known member
Knots in any thread will eventually show wear. However, I find Pattye's serafil lasts way longer than silk. And yes, if I have a problem, it's usually because I knotted badly, not because of the thread.
Pearl Dreams
Pearl Enthusiast
I don't wear jewelry every day-- at home I often don't wear any jewelry, pearl or otherwise.
I have non-pearl necklaces I love to wear. I also own many pearl necklaces, therefore no single necklace gets a great deal of wear. I'm sure this affects how often I have to restring.
I have restrung pearls for various reasons-- the gimp getting tarnished or tatty, or deciding I wanted a different color thread, or wanting to rearrange the pearls or shorten/lengthen a necklace, or even changing a clasp. Some necklaces that were on thread, I later strung on wire-- or vice versa. And some of my necklaces that I originally strung on Power Pro (fishing line) I later restrung later on Serafil. Sometimes in heavier necklaces gaps may eventually appear, as gravity pulls the knots tighter, but that takes a long time (since I don't wear them often.)
I also don't wear pearl bracelets. I expect knots in bracelets would get more wear than necklaces as the pearls would shift around a bit more as one moves one's arm. One would also notice the knots in a bracelet more than in a necklace (how often does one look in a mirror?)
In sum, knots becoming worn looking isn't really much of a problem for me and is not usually the reason I would restring.
I use doubled Serafil thread with a flexible wire needle and make a simple overhand knot. I use an awl to guide the loose knot to the pearl it will be next to, then pull the doubled threads apart to seat and tighten the knot. It's easy and works well for me.
I have non-pearl necklaces I love to wear. I also own many pearl necklaces, therefore no single necklace gets a great deal of wear. I'm sure this affects how often I have to restring.
I have restrung pearls for various reasons-- the gimp getting tarnished or tatty, or deciding I wanted a different color thread, or wanting to rearrange the pearls or shorten/lengthen a necklace, or even changing a clasp. Some necklaces that were on thread, I later strung on wire-- or vice versa. And some of my necklaces that I originally strung on Power Pro (fishing line) I later restrung later on Serafil. Sometimes in heavier necklaces gaps may eventually appear, as gravity pulls the knots tighter, but that takes a long time (since I don't wear them often.)
I also don't wear pearl bracelets. I expect knots in bracelets would get more wear than necklaces as the pearls would shift around a bit more as one moves one's arm. One would also notice the knots in a bracelet more than in a necklace (how often does one look in a mirror?)
In sum, knots becoming worn looking isn't really much of a problem for me and is not usually the reason I would restring.
I use doubled Serafil thread with a flexible wire needle and make a simple overhand knot. I use an awl to guide the loose knot to the pearl it will be next to, then pull the doubled threads apart to seat and tighten the knot. It's easy and works well for me.
Pearl Dreams
Pearl Enthusiast
Not related to the latest question, but this may be of interest to some:
I recently bought this inexpensive pin vise (manual drill) and used it to widen a drill hole slightly in a few pearls and also to remove a stuck knot in another pearl. It's easy to use but it is manual (not powered) so it's slow going, and I would not expect to be able to use it to drill a hole in an undrilled pearl-- it would be too hard and slow.
Pin Vise Hand Drill Manual - Jewelry w/Micro Drill Bits (0.8mm-2.5mm) - Rotary Craft Drill for Jewelry Making, Resin, Wood, Plastic, Miniature, Beads, Clay Etc
I recently bought this inexpensive pin vise (manual drill) and used it to widen a drill hole slightly in a few pearls and also to remove a stuck knot in another pearl. It's easy to use but it is manual (not powered) so it's slow going, and I would not expect to be able to use it to drill a hole in an undrilled pearl-- it would be too hard and slow.
Pin Vise Hand Drill Manual - Jewelry w/Micro Drill Bits (0.8mm-2.5mm) - Rotary Craft Drill for Jewelry Making, Resin, Wood, Plastic, Miniature, Beads, Clay Etc
Yep and that's my suspicion that I'm knotting badly. Maybe if I try half hitch knots?
I probably should stop worrying about the fuzz, which you can't see unless in good lighting and up close, preferably with a magnifier. I wear pearls everyday as I really love them.
Pearl Dreams
Pearl Enthusiast
BWeaves
Well-known member
I use doubled thread and an overhand knot. Then I pull the two threads apart to snug the overhand knot up against the last pearl.
I've also used doubled thread, and use half hitches with one thread OVER the other thread which stays straight. But it's harder to get the knots to snug up.
Pearl Dreams
Pearl Enthusiast
My understanding is that a half hitch IS an overhand knot, except the half hitch is tied around an object (like a post-- or in this case, another thread.)
Thus the first few knots (the back-knots after attaching the clasp) would technically be half hitches, just because they are knotted around the existing thread (on which the first few pearls were strung before the clasp was attached). Same for the last few knots at the end of the necklace or bracelet, after the other half of the clasp was attached.
But I just call them the more generic term, overhand knots. Videos demonstrating these:
The overhand knot
The half hitch knot
Thus the first few knots (the back-knots after attaching the clasp) would technically be half hitches, just because they are knotted around the existing thread (on which the first few pearls were strung before the clasp was attached). Same for the last few knots at the end of the necklace or bracelet, after the other half of the clasp was attached.
But I just call them the more generic term, overhand knots. Videos demonstrating these:
The overhand knot
The half hitch knot
BWeaves
Well-known member
Pearl Dreams, you're correct. They are the same knot, just tied different ways. I use the knots like you do, I think.
I use the term overhand knot, when I'm making the knot using both threads, and they pulling the two threads apart to slide the knot up against the pearl.
I use the term half hitch, when I'm making the knot using one thread, but tying the knot around the other thread, like it was a hitching post. And I do the half hitch when I'm finishing the last few knots and going backwards from the clasp.
I use the term overhand knot, when I'm making the knot using both threads, and they pulling the two threads apart to slide the knot up against the pearl.
I use the term half hitch, when I'm making the knot using one thread, but tying the knot around the other thread, like it was a hitching post. And I do the half hitch when I'm finishing the last few knots and going backwards from the clasp.
