Threads

[aged_sage]

I would suspect that cotton thread would require absolute drying immediately after use to keep it from rotting. Just my opinion.

aged sage

[iso]

I'm guessing that synthetics absorb less water. I suppose it also depends on how tightly the material is spun. Other thoughts?

[aged_sage]

I agree with the comment about synthetics absorbing, and adsorbing, less water.

One should have the same concern relative to 'tightness of spin' for the flytying threads, or any other spun material.

aged sage

[karelgol]

Polyester has a bigger density then water, so eventually it'll sink.

Karel

[iso]

I've been experimenting with my cheapie thread. It's serger thread from Joanne's @ 1.99 for 5,000 yards. With a 4-10-14 leader the tippet end is about the same thickness as the 10-14-18 leaders I make with 6/0 tying thread.

Two questions:

1. How do folks test the breaking point of leaders? I used untwisted thread and mono to test the breakage and it'll break with between 10 and 15 pounds of pressure (e.g. loop to loop and yank... with 10 pound test, the mono breaks, with 15 pound test the thread breaks). Any thoughts as to whether it'll be stronger or weaker when furled?

2. Does anyone treat unwaxed thread leaders? What do you use? My cheapies aren't quite as "tight" as waxed tying thread. Should I furl more than 10%? For yucks, I greased the thing with some mink oil I had in the shop and it helps, but I don't know if it'll hold up while fishing.

[ducksterman]

The mink oil comment is interesting to me because here in town we have a company called "Touch of Mink" ...one of their products is a soap made with some of the mink oil and highly tauted so I got some...but then I got thinking I would never use it while fishing or tying....why you ask?....because I suspect fish flea from mink.

[ducksterman]

Back to thread ...the Coates and Clark T41 makes a nice camo looking leader with out mixing in different threads.

[aged_sage]

iso:

I have a table that Karel Gol put together that gives a lot of technical data on over 100 different threads, including tensile strength for a single strand. From these data, one can calculate the tensile strength for any number of threads in the tippet end. Perhaps contacting the threadmaker will get youthe tensile strength for their various threads.

ducksterman:

Au contraire! I would be greatly surprised if mink DIDN"T have fleas! If so, I would expect the fish to get really excited over the mink in the water, as it could provide a real smorgasboard for them!

aged sage

[JohnScott]

Any thoughts as to whether it'll be stronger or weaker when furled?...

... the "multiplier effect" in the past.

It seems clear to me that furling thread does make the furled strands stronger than the combined strength of the individual unfurled strands. I haven't tried to do any tests, as such, to confirm this because my anecdotal evidence is good enough for me.

At the tip end of my leaders, the tip ring has three strands of Danville 210 Flymaster Plus tying thread passing through it before the leader is furled. I've seen a couple different tensile strengths ( I think that is the right term ) posted for the Danville 210. Taking the highest claimed tensile strength and multiplying it by three, it comes out much less than 10# test.

When finished, the tip ring has a furled section of three strands passing through it. On a number of occasions, I've had to break off 2X 10# test tippet material ( e.g. sticking the fly in a place that I can't reach to free it ) and the 10# leader material has broken with no damage to the tip ring nor the furled leader.

It is my thought that in the twisting and furling process a multiplier effect takes place as the individual strands are shortened during twisting adding mass and strength at any and every point along the furled leader. My experience seems to confirm this since three strands of material with a combined strength less than 10# strength will break off a 10# tippet material.

I've not seen anyone else post their thoughts on this issue when it has come up in the past. Perhaps now that we have a Forum dedicated to furling, some others will join in with their thoughts and experiences.

John

P.S. I have never lost a trout or whitefish ( well over 10,000 since I started using furled leaders six years ago, and counting ) due to a tip ring or furled leader failure. Maybe if I ever do lose a fish because of such a failure, I'll rethink this subject - more likely, I'll just put on a fresh leader and get back to fishing.

[karelgol]

I put together the table with strengths from different sources on the internet. As long as you don't use a dyneema tip, the tip will be the weakest part, so the exact strength of the furled leader i don't care. The only thing i use those strengths for is determining the tension weight to use (as a percentage of the sum of those strengths). So far for nylon mono 2% and for polyester 8% for my setup, this could differ for someone elses setup (agedsage 9% for polyester if i recall correctly).

Karel