STRINGING MATERIALS

CABLE THREADS

Cable threads are nylon beading threads twisted together and covered with a nylon sheathing.   What gives this material its strength and durability is the nylon sheathing's ability to keep the braided threads from unraveling.   Once the nylon sheathing is violated -- from it being to thin or too porous -- and the twisted threads are exposed to the air, they immediately unravel and break.

Waxing before using it will protect the nylon sheathing.   You can compromise this integrity by piercing the existing thread with your needle while weaving, or when the nylon sheathing comes into contact with a substance that will dissolve it, such as perfume oils and some body chemicals found in some people's sweat.

I strongly recommend the FireLine brand.   Most other brands are either more awkward to use, or they have significant deficiencies with the nylon sheathing.   The FireLine I sell is non-biodegradable.   The FireLine you buy in fishing departments or stores is biodegradable.

In bead weaving, if the stitch is very tight, using FireLine might make it too tight, causing more stress and strain on both beads and the FireLine itself.    If the stitch is loose, FireLine makes it much easier to control your work than using regulare beading thread.

FireLine comes in either smoke grey or what they call crystal (really translucent white) in colors. There is a 'black' version, but this seems to fray somewhat.   It comes in .006"diameter (4-pound strength, similar to Size B Nymo) and .008" diameter (6-pound strength, similar to Size D Nymo or C-Lon) and .009" diameter (8-pound strength, similar to size F Nymo).   NOTE:  The 'pound strength' number and the 'diameter' number frequently change on the FireLine labels, and I don't know why.   6-pound and .008" are good overall strength and thickness for most projects.

The shape of FireLine cable thread is round, and because of this, does not easily fit into the eye of a beading needle, which is shaped for the ribbon-like beading thread.    So you have to flatten the ends, either between your finger nails or a pliers.    Do not pull through your teeth to flatten; FireLine can cut into your teeth.

MINI LESSON: Using Fireline as bead stringing material

 Also see,
Beading Needles

Also see the section on TOOLS AND SUPPLIES.