Thread for spinning deer hair

[jchance 0]

I was wondering if someone could help me. I am having trouble with my thread when I spin deer hair. It either breaks from me pulling on it too tightly or it gets stuck a little loose in the hair and I find myself cutting it. I have tried a 6/0 which breaks if I pull to tight but works well for me otherwise and a 140 denier that works well but is hard for me to get a tight wrap with it (I might be gunshy pulling on it after the 6/0). What kind of thread would be best?

[Brian Brown75 0]

botht those threads are too small, get some gel spun thread

[smalltownfisherman 0]

I find that using 210 thread works best.

[jchance 0]

Thanks, Ill stop tomorrow and pick up some of each to see how they work *fingers crossed*

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

gsp is the best but I also use 140 denier and it works just fine you can crank down on it pretty good

[smallieFanatic 0]

Go for 3/0, thats the way to go when spinning deer hair, even heavier sometimes

[CoachBob 0]

Flat waxed nylon.

GSP is fine until you try to cut it.

Sheesh!

[Hairstacker 0]

I am having trouble with my thread when I spin deer hair. It either breaks from me pulling on it too tightly or it gets stuck a little loose in the hair and I find myself cutting it.

 

Gel-spun (i.e., GSP) is the thread of choice for spinning and/or stacking deer hair and will solve both those issues. Use a razor blade to cut it.

 

-- Mike

[Bruce Derington 0]

Yeah, a gel spun is the ticket and as far as cutting it , do it under pressure and it cuts like butter. 140 will work fine, simply choose a thread and tie in a clump of hair and tighten it slowly to the breaking point then back off. Hair will probably cut B4 thread breaks but makes no difference,simply find that point then BACK OFF

[jchance 0]

Thanks to everyone. I stopped and got some gel spun thread and tried it out. It makes it a lot easier. Now a lot of practice and if/when I get the deer hair portioning down a bit better I might just get the hang of it. If nothing else I'm glad I didn't give up on this technique.

[TnTom 0]

Something I found that really helps to get the hair to spin is using Woolite. I take a deer each year and cure the hide. I have found the hair right in front of the hind quarter is quite different from hair from the tail and even from the shoulder area.

After the hide is ready ( I tack it to the back of the barn for the winter, I use borax for preparing it) then I cut a square 6" x 6" from the front of the hind quarter and fill the bathroom sink with warm water and add a little Woolite and work it through the hair then let it set for about 5 minutes then rinse with cold water for a while until there is no woolite remaining then shake it out in the tub and dry it with a blow dryer. It is really slick afterwards and spins really easily, no resistance at all. Then you can pack it back and keep adding small bunches until you have as much as you want.

 

Tom