On May 22, 2006, at 1:57, Jo Falkink wrote:
The single plies of fine wire are quite close to (non-metal) thread
in behaviour; they just do not need to be plied for strength in
working as quickly as non-metal "threads" do.
--
Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/
In my experience plied wire behaves more like thread.
Indeed, you're right; plied wire does behave more like thread; probably
because lacemaking thread is also, almost always, plied.
What I meant to convey (if it hadn't been clear, blame it on English
being my second language) is this: in order to produce a very fine
(like 180 for Honiton) but workable lacemaking thread in a "soft
fiber", that fiber has to be plied. Not only when it's cotton or linen,
but even when it's silk, which is the strongest fiber of them all.
It is not so in wire. You can work -- granted, very carefully, and
allowing for various "wire quirks" -- with a _single ply_ of 0.1mm
(barely visible, unless in colour) wire). A single ply of cotton of the
same thickness would be impossible, but a two-ply cotton, of the same
(combined) thickness, is fine. The two plies support one another,
something that the wire doesn't _have_ to have, even as it "likes" the
possibility.
I _do_ ply my 0.1mm wire: for strength, flexibility and colour options.
But I've tried working it single ply, and it's "do-able".
Yours, about to take wing and fly to California (Thursday, early
morning) for a family wedding/reunion. I'll be gone for 10 days and am
debating whether or not it's worth unsubscribing; the list has been
fairly quiet....
--
Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/
Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland)
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