Thank you Paul for the interesting information. I've wondered about the actual definition of denier since I first heard the term.
I am also surprised to hear that Benecchi's 12/0, Unithread's 8/0 and Griffith 14/0 thread are all produced by the same manufacturer. I've never used the Griffith product, but I regularly use the other two. I had always figured that the 12/0 was smaller than the 8/0, but I guess thats not the case. I have also been under the impression that the Benecchi 12/0 was stronger than the Uni 8/0. I look forward to getting home this morning and taking a look through the thread collection. Paul Marriner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on 11/14/2002 06:03:36 PM Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] cc: (bcc: John Roth-CPD/USA/MCCRK) Subject: Re: [VFB] Thred Thread First let me say that while I do have some connection with UNI Products I have no financial relationship with the company. The world of threads became very confused a few years ago when certain companies began putting X/0 numbers on their threads which bore no resemblance to any recognized criteria. Benecchi was one of the offenders. That said, one must ask what is the material of the thread. Benecchi 12/0 and Griffith 14/0 are the INDENTICAL thread to UNI 8/0 - same diameter, same strength. They are all polyester threads from the same original manufacturer. The Helms article has numerous errors, mostly due to the measurement methods (I was a mechanical engineer in a former life). If someone has, or receives, this chart and wants examples of errors, email me off-list. The best way to understand thread sizes is to look to the spoolers like UNI and Wapsi that give the Denier measurement of the thread. Denier is the weight in grams of 9000 meters meters of thread. So, for example, UNI 8/0 is 72 denier, 6/0 is 135 denier. This is not perfect because the weight will vary with material; so a Danville nylon thread will have a different denier number than a polyester thread (but not by very much) even though both may have the same effective diameter. Diameter is very difficult to measure directly because most measurement devices or methods have some effect on the material itself, and most materials aren't prefectly round - like an untwisted nylon thread - so diameter has no real meaning in these cases. Gel-spun Polyethelene (GSP) threads are stronger for the equivalent denier but are of course more expensive. For example UNI Cord 12/0 (similar to Dynacord Superfine) is a 50 denier GSP thread which is even stronger than UNI BigFly, a 400 denier polyester. Waxed threads are weaker than the unwaxed version - that is because every operation on a thread weakens it somewhat. So, just like any others, unwaxed UNI 8/0 is slightly stronger than waxed UNI 8/0. I'll be pleased to answer any additional questions about threads. Cheers, Paul -- Paul Marriner Outdoor Writing & Photography. Member OWAA & OWC. Author of Atlantic Salmon, Ausable River Journal, Miramichi River Journal, and Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies.
