Considering that the US is one of the few if only country still using the “English” system of measurement; how is tippet diameter expressed in Europe, Asia, etc.?
I’m not asking about the “X” system per say but rather the actual diameter. Is it expressed in microns?
i still dont understand the x system, i prefer poundage. besides i dont think the x systems goes big enuff for some salt stuff
roger
princess anne, eastern shore of md.
Bamboozle,
Mainland Europe works on diameter in mm (millimeter)
UK anglers works routinely in breaking strain in lbs. (When the higher breaking strain per size copolymers came on the market a well known UK angler/shop owner remarked to me: “I do not like ‘brand X Double Stength’… it is too thin!” Duh…
The X designation to identify tippet size is mostly a North American affair from what I gather, but at least it also has a one-on-one relation to the diameter 
Cheers,
Hans W
=== You have a friend in Low Places ===
http://www.danica.com/flytier
Hans:
Thanks! I prefer the actual diameter of thousandths of an inch or mm because you lose consistency of nomenclature when you venture above 0X. The X system is easier from 0X to 8X and things SEEM to be OK until you get to the mythical 9X and smaller sizes which is where line test goes awry too.
If the system was accurate 9X would be .002" and 10X .001". If there was 11X it should be .000" or non-existent .
I guess the world needs some uniformity like is being attempted with thread sizes.
It doesn’t much matter what measurement system is used as long as the big players, like Maxima, never make tippet true to its stated size!
Sorry to hijack a bit, I read somewhere the whole “x” thing comes from gut leaders. The gut was stretched a number of times (1 time, 2 times etc) to come to a given diameter. The more times it was stretched, the thinner it got. Talk about archaic, and how flyfishermen can’t give up the past! I think the system is a waste of time. All that matters is diamter and breaking strength. I think tippet spools should have diamter in inches, mm or cmm, and breaking strength in lbs and Kg so that everyone is happy, and dump the whole “x” thing.
only 3 sizes of tipit to big to small and just right.
Rich
I can’t get use to the “X” system, I use Maxima mostly and I know that 6pound is .22 of an inch and 4 pound is .17 of an inch. For fishing in Tasmania you rarelly need anything else.
Shane B:
I don’t know where you get your Maxima line from, but I build “Knotted Tapered Leader” using Maxima Line. Here is the Pound Test : Average Diameter of the different lines.
30 pounds : 0.022 inch (11)
25 pounds : 0.020 inch (9)
20 pounds : 0.017 inch (6)
15 pounds : 0.015 inch (4)
12 pounds : 0.013 inch (2)
10 pounds : 0.012 inch (1)
08 pounds : 0.010 inch (1X)
06 pounds : 0.009 inch (2X)
05 pounds : 0.008 inch (3X)
04 pounds : 0.007 inch (4X)
03 pounds : 0.006 inch (5X)
02 pounds : 0.005 inch (6X)
The diameter of the line is important when you are creating your own knotted leader, so you have a taper that is similar to the shape of a whip. Same applies when you are adding (or replacing) a tippet on the tip of your tapered leader. You want a tippet that is either 0.001 or 0.002 inch diameter smaller that the tip of the tapered leader, for smooth transfer of the casting stroke being transmitted down the fly line.
As for the line designation 0.011 is (0X), each thousandth of an inch reduction in diameter is, referred to as a increasing number followed by the Letter X. So a line that is 0.006 diameter is a (5X). If the line diameter is larger than 0.011 inch diameter, than the same rule applies, but without the (X). A line that is 0.017 inch diameter is a (6).
Poundage in relation to diameter, varies between different manufacturer’s of leader material.
Have Cortland 5X leader material with a 4.9 poundage, while the Maxima 5X is only a 3 poundage. Maxima 0.020 (9) is 25 pounds, while Mason is 16 pounds.
I try not to mix and match different brands when tying “Knotted Tapered Leaders” and I try to use same brand tippet material as the tapered leader, for adding/replacing tippets.
As for the metric vs english measurement. If the line is measured in metric, and say 4X, it is the same as 0.007 inch (or close enough not to worry about the difference).
But there is hope on the future horizon.
All thread (tippet material is thread, and so is wire) will be measured in “Denier”, which is the new international measurement of all thread, which is based on the gram weight of 9000 meter of thread. The higher the denier, the heavier the thread.
[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 09 November 2005).]
Shane… Think you are missing some zeros there…
I have found that there are variations in dia within the same spool of tippet when miked and also that one brand of 6x is nearly another brand 5x .
Yep getting a bit mixed up with Imperial and metric
Maxima 8 pound=.25mm
Maxima 6 pound=.22mm
Maxima 4 pound=.17mm
Usually I only ever use 6 or 4 pound, usually there is never any need in Tasmania to go below 3 pound tippet, which I think is around the .14mm mark. Occasionally if I’m fishing a trophy water with a lot of weed such at a water in Tasmania called, Lagoon of Islands, wher in the past Browns and Rainbows have averaged over 6 pounds, I’ll go heavier. I use to use a line called, Super Shinobi, bought oput by Daiwa, the breaking strain was 10 pound with a thickness of .22 mm but it’s not made anymore, its a shame as the knot strength was very good. Luckily I’ve got e few spools stored away.
[This message has been edited by Shane B (edited 09 November 2005).]
I’ve used the Sasame 3lb fluorocarbon with diameter .159mm (gotta love that resolution!!) for my stillwater rainbow fishing. Its pretty good stuff and it says on the spool:
“Eternal Quality Super Fishing Line”
so how can you go wrong?