How to stretch silk

what size powerpro to buy?

what size powerpro to buy?

Greetings,

It appears that PowerPro comes in many sizes from 5 Lb. to 250 Lb. test. My pearls are not large enough to need the 250 Lb test :) but I do not know what size to look for. What sizes do y'all use? I am working with 6-7 mm akoyas if it makes a difference. Thanks!

--Stephen
 
Thanks for all your replies. I?ll try to just pull it through bee wax and then just pull a little with my hands, without it being wet. Can you really pull a whole foot? Although I guess that depends on how long the thread is, I was just going to make a bracelet so it wasn?t very long at all. I might try to hang it for a few days too, I was reading about that method in a book somewhere... Can?t hurt. And if it stretch, then I know I?ll have to do it better next time...

I tried with Nymo before but I could just slide the pearls over the knot... Think it was size B or something like that. (I tripled the knots and they still wasn?t big enough.). When I tested if the pearls would slide if I used silk they couldn?t slide over the knot I made with the size E thread at all (The colour was lilac if someone is wondering.) even if I tried quite hard.
 
Best size for 7mm akoyas is the 20 Pound. That is best for most pearls. I use the 6 or 10 lb on small pearls and klonks usually require 30 lb.

I like Suzanna Hye- she has a 100 yard 20 lb. white for 16.00 LINK. She also has moss green and several sizes.

Every few months I do searches for power pro. I also have a 300 meter spool from a fishing shop for about the same prrice as Inge. It has lasted well over a year.

I am willing to give up the color to get such a strong thread.
 
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Well, the size chart sez 20 lb. test is diameter .19mm. So that is what I bought the most of. Eight lb. test is .10mm and 10 lb. test is .13mm, 15 lb. test is .15mm, 30 lb. test is .23mm. Maybe it is best to buy the smaller size, and use 4 threads, I am about ready to take the plunge! I hope this helps, flycatcher. Sorry I can't yet speak from experience, maybe Caitlin will jump in here-----------or any of the others----------

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

P.S. Thanks Caitlin! You were much faster answering than me!!! And so much more of an authority
 
I can't imagine a knot that doesn't move
Click to expand...
I can't either. Silk does need at least a light waxing, but with 2 threads, it will move into place. Well single thread knotting is far more likely to get stuck and harder to get loose enough to move it. Thank heavens for Henrietta Virchik- I was so happy to discover 2 thread knotting and would never go back!

Hey pattye- jump right in. Maybe you will have to cut it apart, but so what? That is the sign of a true beader- right knotty?
 
flycatcher said:
Greetings,

It appears that PowerPro comes in many sizes from 5 Lb. to 250 Lb. test. My pearls are not large enough to need the 250 Lb test :) but I do not know what size to look for. What sizes do y'all use? I am working with 6-7 mm akoyas if it makes a difference. Thanks!

--Stephen
Click to expand...


Hi, I use the 15 lbs for smaller pearls and 30 lbs for the real heavy weights!:)
 
Mervione said:
Jerin, do you ever have to redo your stringing because the silk stretch? Would be nice if not since you don?t stretch it...
Click to expand...


Mervione,

I have so many strands that I am not wearing any specific strand for a longer time than say 1 week at the time but so far no one of my silk knotted strands has stretched so it needs restringing. Of course, most of my pearls ar in the size range from 7,5 to 10 mm, but I also have klonks that are strung with Power Pro (11,4 - 12,4 mm) as well as klanks, strung on wire!
 
Caitlin said:
Best size for 7mm akoyas is the 20 Pound. That is best for most pearls. I use the 6 or 10 lb on small pearls and klonks usually require 30 lb.

I like Suzanna Hye- she has a 100 yard 20 lb. white for 16.00 LINK. She also has moss green and several sizes.

Every few months I do searches for power pro. I also have a 300 meter spool from a fishing shop for about the same prrice as Inge. It has lasted well over a year.

I am willing to give up the color to get such a strong thread.
Click to expand...


Lucky You, Caitlin.
My spool just has 28 yards for the price of your 300 m spool:eek:
 
Thank you all for your advice - I would be lost without it - then again, I would never have bothered trying to knot without you, either!

I am wondering if it is my shoddy technique or the silk? Maybe I could post the "dodgy" silk to someone else to try....pm me if you are interested!

Caitlin, thank you for the link - I now have moss green on order from your ebay seller. Pattye - didn't Caitlin teach you to knot?? If I can try to knot, then I'm sure you will be a whiz at it - all those gorgeous pearls you own - wouldn't you rather be able to restring them at your whim?
 
Caitlin and Pattye,

Thanks for the info! I have ordered a spool from Cabelas. They seem to have all of the colors and sizes available. I tried a few fishing stores here locally but they all seemed to think I was crazy to want the white since it would show up in the water. But if you want moss green then that might be a good type of place to check. Now I just have to find a new clasp because the string that I just redid a few weeks ago now needs to be redone because the clasp is toast. Oh Well, at least I am getting lots of practice.

--Stephen
 
Cabelas!!! What a good find. Thanks big time.

Powerpro hunters, Look at this page!:LINK

150 yards for 13.99 in the 5lb, 8lb 10lb 20 lb, 30 lb. Those are the sizes best for most pearls
 
A little humor there--2 of the 3 customer reviews for the Powerpro are from beaders! (None appear to be from P-G members, however.)

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time
 
Kudos to Cabelas !!
My order arrived this morning - 55 hours after placing the order.

A huge thankyou to Flycatcher for putting me on to them.
 
Sueki,

That is interesting. Mine arrived today too. I have to say that it is unlike any fishing string that I have ever seen. I tried my "universal cutting tool" (AKA fingernail clippers) on it and sure enough, just as the paperwork said, they would not cut the stuff. Anyway, Cabelas was just a natural place for me to look since I happen to have one near by and buy alot of my camping and hunting gear there. I am glad it worked out.

--Stephen
 
Hi Stephen,
Well now, when my husband saw the huge box (containing just two small reels of Powerpro) he asked "what have you bought now?"
I told him fishing line because I use it for beading.
He was perplexed until I unpacked it and he saw it. That shut him up.....
He's not seen fishing line like it before, either. I expect it will be a talking point in the pub for a few days......until the next time England lose at cricket, or soccer, or rugby, or.....:)
Anyway, thanks again for the heads-up.
 
Those little horseshoe shaped thread clippers are great. They will make a couple hundred cuts before they need changing. They cost $3-4 each, so I buy a 1/2 dozen at a time. I keep meaning to find a sharpener for them, but have not succeeded yet.

They also get into the space between the bead with their tiny tips when you are cutting a piece up.



This one costs $2.49.
 
I've just this afternoon used the Powerpro from Cabelas and it has a cutter incorporated into the plastic spool.
Very handy indeed.
 
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