OK here we go. (Thanks to my husband for taking the photos!)
I have also linked this post to my Stringing Tutorial on the Lowly Beaders' Club. Perhaps someone else reading that will find it useful.
This is the Thread Zap II and a close up. It takes a single AA battery. The wire element heats up (
very hot!) when you press the button. That is what melts the thread.
(Sometimes the little end piece that holds the element falls out! Just slide it back in-- but don't touch the hot element.)
At the start of stringing, after I have back-knotted, I want to cut the original knotted thread tail off before stringing the rest of the pearls.
I arrange the Thread Zap with the button facing the right (I will press it with my right index finger to heat the element.)
I insert the short tail of thread with the original knot (which I want to cut off) into the loop of the wire heating element.
**see note below
Then I grip the thread that has the needle in my left hand, pulling it to the left (away from the element) and holding it tightly in place with my left middle, ring and little fingers. We don't want that thread anywhere near the heating element.
Then I pinch the tail to be cut off between my left thumb and index finger, pushing it to the right. This is where you need a bit of dexterity; you want to keep both threads taut and away from each other so that you only zap the the correct thread. (I use my left hand to hold both threads apart.)
With my right hand I draw the element of the Thread Zap down the tail, close to (but not touching) the pearl. We want to cut it close but not burn the pearl! Notice I am holding my right thumb against the side of the Thread zap to stabilize it.
When I have the wire heating element exactly where I want it and am ready to cut the thread, I press the button and pull it gently against the thread as it melts though.
** Note: Another way is to simply hold the narrow heating element tip against the thread to be cut, instead of passing the thread through the loop. Then there is no risk of the wire tip sliding off. I have done it both ways. Do whatever is easier for you.
Position before pressing button to heat element:
Melting through the thread:
When finishing the strand, it's a little different. Now you want to cut the thread that has the needle. Use your left hand to hold the strand taut away from the thread to be cut, while pinching the thread that has the needle between your left thumb and index finger and holding it to the right. Cut the thread with the needle.
If you prefer to continue cutting the thread instead of zapping it, use the same procedure to hold the threads apart. Then you can't cut the wrong thread.
