Dying Linen Thread for Bowstrings

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CameronPotter
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Dying Linen Thread for Bowstrings

#1 Post by CameronPotter » Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:10 pm

Hi all,

Up until now, most of these reviews have been book reviews, but why not review materials as well? Anyway, here is a copy of my post in Traditional Tackle as I think it is better suited here...

I have been playing around with various dyes for my strings. I have WAY too many strings for my bow now, I think I am up to about 10 strings and still only one bow. Hmmm...

Anyway, I can make strings in front of the telly, so that is what I do.

So for anyone who might be interested in some results if you want to go very trad. (using linen) in a slightly more modern way (using store bought dyes).

First trial - texta pens/whiteboard markers. Ok. You can stop laughing now. I wanted to see if it would work. It didn't. Enough said.

Second Trial - leather dye. Works well. I cut my dye with metho as leather dye is VERY strong. The ratio was about 1:3, dye:metho. Note the linen will be a lighter colour than the dye bath it goes into. I made it up in a small jar and put the linen in over night and shook the jar whenever I passed. Even so, the colour was not entirely even. This doesn't matter much though over the length of a bow string. So if it happens, make the string and THEN evaluate the results. I think you will be happy.

Third Trial - silk dye. This was done because the leather dye comes in few colours and none of them are very bright. The silk looked promising, but when it dried out, it got kind of sticky. Finally it dried out entirely, but I was supposed to iron it to set the colour. You try ironing string. Anyway, the colour didn't set and when I was waxing this one up, the colour bled onto the beesaw and into the adjoining (white) string.

Fourth Trial - wool dye. This worked a charm. I haven't made the string up yet, but it doesn't require ironing to set the colour and it came out very evenly dyed. You do need to set up a boiler to do it, but it is not hard. The dyes (that I used) only come in LARGE quantities (I am sharing with my girlfriend who uses it for wool or all things). They are also expensive at about $10 a pot, but this will do 1kg of wool and probably even more linen. The linen doesn't take as bright a colour as the wool does, so make it a little stronger if you want brighter colours.

http://www.virginiafarmwoolworks.com.au ... lours.htmlNote: These colours are a guideline only, more dye = darker, less dye = lighter. Also, the colours are quite a bit more vibrant than those. See your local wool shop.

I have not dealt with this place above and so I can't speak for them, but the "landscape" dyes are the ones I used. They have a kookaburra on the front. They probably aren't in spotlight - you may have to go to a wool store. The other advantage of this dye is that it is storable and reuseable (until the colour runs out).

I haven't used Dylon as it is awkward to use and not worth the hassle for small quantities (ie one strings worth). It also doesn't keep. Thus it is up there with texta pens for me.


CONCLUSION:

Leather dye provides good results, is easy to use, and can be used for dyeing leather - useful in a number of bow making pursuits.

Wool dye provides the best results, but is a little bit more of a hassle to do. The colour range is much better too. I am kinda hooked.

Silk dye (setasilk) was not for me. Don't bother and save yourself the time and money.

Ink based pens are no good either. Shame though.

I would only use dylon if I was dyeing an ENTIRE spool (and even then I think I would use the wool dye).

I hope this helps someone.

Cam

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