linen strings

[clinton miller]

how does linen perform as a string? i know it was in common use before the new age fibres.
i'm looking for something primitive.

looseplucker- what are the specs of the strings you make out of it?

[pdccr]

I think the bowyers bible may cover that, not sure.

[ichiban]

LP recently gave me some irish linnen and basicly it makes string making alot more difficult but the resulting string feels much softer, so as the tbb explains there can only be a max of 7 strings per ply otherwise the additional strands become dead weight so with a 5 lb breaking strength you essentialy make 3 two ply strings and twist those 3 into a 3 ply string. that was for a 50lb string with a 200lb braking strength. its alot of work but it screems traditional

[looseplucker]

Howdy

I am using single ply linen yarn - its the coarsest available to make up damasque linen. Using the recipe in the TBB I make strings I do the following:

I have weight tested the linen and it is between 5 and 7lb strain per strand. So, if I want to do a string for a 45lb bow - what is 4.5 x that? - (I do it 4.5 x rather than 4x because of the variability in the break strain between 5 and 7lb). Effectively you are looking at a total breaking strain of 210# or thereabouts.

What I then do is lay out 7 strands of the yarn 1.5x the length of the bow. I do this by just looping round two nails on a board. I beeswax it and put it aside. I then do 5 more of them making 6 sub plies in total.

Then I get the electric drill and use it to twist each sub ply until the point where it is going to spring back on itself. I then put two sub-plies on the drill and anchored on a nail at the other end and reverse the direction of spin and the two sub plies then twist against themselves. Voila! That is I/3 of the string. I then do the others and I have 3 plies which are going to form the final string.

I then get a sharp knife and scrape the last 5 inches or so of the plies at the end where there will be a loop. This aids in tapering the loop ends.

I then do the loop in the usual way, twist, fold back etc.

With the loop made I then impart a bit more twist in each ply and then reverse the twist to get the whole length with a nice twist against itself, but not too much. Then I go to the end where there will be a bowyer's knot and do a much tighter twist on the last 10" or so and tie it off with a figure 8 knot at the end.

Then I wax the whole thing again.

It works out re breaking strain like this -

Sub ply - 5lb (I always take the lowest value) x 7 strands = 35lb.

Two sub-plies of 35lb = 1 ply of 70lb.

3 plies of 70lb = 210lb

Hope this makes sense.

In terms of time it takes me only about 15 minutes to make up a string - this is without serving it.

I have started experimenting with horsehair in the loops - not much success yet, but getting there.

[GrahameA]

Morning

Then I get the electric drill and use ....

Consider making yourself a small ropemaking machine and using that to make what is effectively "Linen Rope". Splice an eye in one end and use a bowyers knot in the other. There was a write-up sometime ago about a chap from Belgian (in the Flanders region) who was making what he claimed were "Traditional Strings" and the best I could make of it was that he was making them that way.

[looseplucker]

Afternoon Vicar....

I could do that, but gee whizz, the elecky drill with forward and reverse.....and its in the TBB, so it must be OK.

Then again.....how do you make one?

[GrahameA]

Afternoon

Afternoon Vicar....

I could do that, but gee whizz, the elecky drill with forward and reverse.....and its in the TBB, so it must be OK.

Then again.....how do you make one?

Never been called that before. Should I feel priased or insulted.

Lot of plans on the web. Essentially they do in one action what you are doing multiples times with your electric drill.

If you want to make a big one then a flywheel and a set of matching gears works well. If you want a to make a small one to do what you want then some Meccano or other small gears would do the job. If you want something even simpler you can use the crank method - Hint: - go with the gears and power it by the drill.

[looseplucker]

I said it in a mock Devon or Somerset accent, like something from the Vicar of Dibley, so it's more one of those things to make you giggle. My father in law is a Uniting Church Minister - with a broad scots accent, and it makes him laugh every time.

I'll check out those plans. But what hope do I have of keeping Meccano intact with an 8 year old boy in the house?

[pdccr]

Loose, where do you get your linen?

[looseplucker]

Hi

I got mine while in N. Ireland - but here is the link http://www.fergusonsirishlinen.com/ - email them and ask for Nigel - he sold me a 14000m reel for ten pounds - even with exchange and postage you are paying a reasonable price. A full cone contains 14000m but ask if they have any part used ones.

[pdccr]

Ok thanks mate

[clinton miller]

linen is made from flax fibres is that right??

[looseplucker]

yep - the irish linen yarn I have is from belgian flax - which is apparently the good munga.