Anybody use Danville’s 70 Denier 6/0 Flymaster Waxed thread? I got a roll the other day and it keeps breaking on me. 
I was just wondering if anyone else was having problems with it, or is it just me?
thanks in advance,
hNt
Hi hNt,
Have you been tying for quite a while or not too long. I use Danvilles 6/0 a lot, as well as Uni 6/0 and Uni 8/0. On occassions I do use finer or heavier thread, but I primarily use those three.
The reason I ask that is that when I first started tying, I tied primarily with Unithread 6/0. When I tried to tie with my first spool of Danvilles 6/0 I broke it a lot. I decided the stuff was no good. After a while, my hands learned how much pressure to use, and I came to really like the stuff. Now it is my favorite thread by far.
Even now though, when I switch from Uni 6/0 (about twice the denier as Danvilles 6/0), to the much lighter Danvilles 6/0, I will usually break it a few times till my hands get used to the lighter thread again. If i go to much lighter 14/0, it again takes a bit to be tying without without breaking it.
I am not trying to be offensive, but if you haven’t been tying very long and have been using heavier thread and then switch to lighter weight thread, you will probably have trouble with the lighter thread for a while.
On the other hand, if you are an experienced tier, and are having a problem with only one particular spool of the Danvilles 6/0 and have been using other colors of it with no problem, then it is probably the thread.
About 15 years ago, when I first started tying, I did have a problem with a spool of Danvilles 6/0, and talked to one of the folks that ran a major fly tying supplier in the this country, and he advised that Danvilles had had a problem with that particular color, maybe one particular lot or something, at that time.
So, it does happen. You can get a bad spool of thread.
I worked in quality control for a number of years, and things like that happen. No manufacturer is perfect. You see it with particular boxes of hooks, etc.
That said, I have used a lot of Danvilles 6/0 since that happened, and have never had any problem with any since. As mentioned above, it is my favorite type of thead.
Regards,
Gandolf
This is going to sound crazy, but what color is it? I find the white to be easier to snap than the black.
I’ve got lots of Danville and never had too many problems, but I do have a spool of tan and one of pale yellow that are both prone to break under less than normal pressure.
Regards,
Scott
Again, sounds crazy, but I have had the impression for some time now that Danville’s in the lighter colors breaks easier. I have yellow and white that I must be careful with. The black, brown, and olive seem to be just fine.
I still like it better than UNI.
Thread can break, some time it is because of a weakness in a batch of thread, other time it is for other reasons.
The spools that Danville uses have a flaw that can cause the thread to catch on the split in the spools rim when being used on the bobbin, causing the thread to become nicked.
Using most Thread bobbins, the thread sometimes can become wrapped around one to side wires supports, causing excess tension in the thread, causing the break.
If the thread gets nicked by the sharp point of the hook, while wrapping, that can also cause the thread to break.
You can also have a groove on the lip of the bobbin from the friction of the thread over time. That is why most tyer’s use bobbins with ceramic tips
Different threads use different materials, construct, thread finish coating. Polyester thread do not stretch when used, Nylon stretches. UNI thread is mostly constructed using Polyester material, Danville uses mostly Nylon material, they both have different properties on handling and breaking points.
As you wrap the hook, every wrap around the hook shank cause one revolution of twisting in the the thread. 30 wraps to dress the hook shank will cause 30 revolutions of twist in the line (in 4-5 inches of length of thread that is off the spool. That is the reason to let the spool dangle underneath the hook periodically to allow the bobbin to unwind and to remove the twist in the thread. Twists in the thread cause the thread to become more brittle, and this brittleness will reduce the elasticity of the thread, causing lower breaking point of the thread.
I did two articles for FAOL’s Tying Tips on thread
No two types of thread are identical
[URL=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part211.php[THREAD (Thesis on Thread Material,Construction,Sealing)
I do not like Danville’s thread spools, if I use Danville I usually transfer the thread to a empty Waspi spool, I save my empty Waspi spools just for this reason.
~Parnelli
I had one spool of Danville 6/0 (I don’t remember the color) that drove me nuts because it broke all the time, until I finally got smart and bought another spool of the exact same thing. No problem with that one. That is the only one I ever had a problem with, though. Stuff happens in manufacturing. Oh well. 
A friend left his tying station set up in a corner in front of a window. Sometimes it sat unused for months. His spool rack was right where the UV could nibble on it… He had lots of problems until he finally listened.
Try scrapping off 6’ or so of the thread and see if the problem persists. Sometimes it’s just a bad section in an otherwise good spool. (Credit A.K. Best in one of his excellent books for that tip. I can’t remember which one.)
Cliff
Its not danville, but I have a spool of fire orange 6/0 uni that frays and breaks easier than any of my other spools. So I guess a bad spool does get past quality control.
Thanks for all the responses, I’ll try to answer your questions. Gandolf I’m thinking you hit the nail on the head, I’ve not been tying long at all and was using unithread 6/0 and have just swapped over to the Danville. I had noticed that it was a finer thread, but I assummed the 6/0 meant it was the same strength? I’m guessing now that I have assumed wrong. I bought the danville thread a while back and just hadn’t used it, I don’t remember the actual name of the color, but I’m going to call it brown. After reading parnelli’s post, I’m wondering if the spool is also contributing to my problem, because I’ve noticed it fraying a little right off the spool. It’s really annoying but I’m going to keep at it, until I can buy some more uni thread anyway. 
thanks for all your help,
hNt