Looking for...

[dmcharg]

Just a call out to anyone who sews with pig bristles. If you like the heavier ones, and primarily use them for inseaming and soles, I would be interested in any unwanted fine bristles, as I sew *all* seams by hand, and none are too fine. I use more of the finer ones as there are more seams in the upper than the insole and sole, so I'm starting to find it harder to spot them in my stash. I have Paypal, and am happy to reimburse for the bristles and the postage.
Email is duncanbootmaker@gmail.com
Cheers
Duncan

[das]

Duncan,

Sadly my "finer" rejects were burnt in the shop fireplace while sorting-out the stiff ones. The source in Pakistan (scroll way up) still offers them--closer to you than the colonies. If you don't specify 8" extra stiff, you'll get a mix including more of the thin ones you're after.

[dw]

I know this will sound rude (don't mean it that way) and somewhat "unthinkable" for those who revel in Traditional techniques...but nylon monofilament comes in very fine diameters--5lb. (2,4kg) is @ .008" in diameter (.20mm). That's pretty fine. I have split 12lb. and I believe I could split 8lb.. Maybe, if my eyes were better, even 5lb.

I use split 12lb to welt stitch. And it's strong...stronger than a comparable diameter hog's bristle. I suspect that the 5lb. mono is stronger than the comparable hog bristle...if one even exists.

[martin]

Hi Duncan,

I have both white (very fine, from China, got a bunch from a guy who makes brushes etc. the traditional way) and black bristles (all sorts, from wild boars hunted in Germany) and more than I need. I'll send you some pics over the weekend so you can decide if they'll do.

Cheers,
Martin

[dmcharg]

Yes I've used fishing line in the past DW. What I like about the natural bristles is that they are not parallel. Thickest at the root and finest at the frayed tip, so when you splice in the waxed end, it isn't thicker than the the root, thus making a smoother transition through the hole in the leather And they are very easy to split, no matter their size.

Looking forward to the photos Martin. I'll let you know what I think.

Al, 'Noooooo' XD
I'll keep the Pakistani supplier in mind for future reference, maybe for supplying students. Thanks.

Cheers Guys

[martin]

Hi Duncan,
got around to do them just now, pictures are on their way to your inbox, please check!

Cheers,
Martin

[dw]

Duncan,

Well, I can't answer for "parallel". I know what you're saying but on the bristles I have the tips are split into many 'strands" and from what I remember as a composite they have always seemed about the same thickness as the main shaft except at the very ends.

No worries, I admire your devotion to the boars bristles.

That said here is a photo of a, 8lb., .010" diameter nylon bristle that I split just to see if I could do it...the un-split end is threaded through the eye of a #10 (70) sewing machine needle and a fine long eye beading needle (the eye is in the middle of the needle) for comparison for size. And for the penultimate comparison, a hair (one of the longer ones=2"+/-)from the top of my head (hey, I can't afford to do this many more times):

8lb. split bristle.jpg

PS...not every brand of mono will split but Maxima Chameleon will...if handled correctly. That said, I can't see well enough or get a grip on it when I try to split 6lb.

[dw]

Just a quick update...today I split a 6lb. nylon bristle (.009"). Just needed a sharper knife, Still can't do 5lb.

And FWIW, I have some fine wild European boars's bristles sent to me by Serge Volken some years ago...all of 4" long, if that. I mic'ed them out with a kind of rinky-dink device for measuring the diameter of nylon monofilament and the thinnest I could find in this small bundle was .013...and that was in one direction only--the bristles seem to be oval in diameter.

[dmcharg]

Martin's piggy bristles arrived two days ago. Very happy. They will fill in a gap I've had in my supplies for doing uppers. I have the big 8" bristles, the finest of these I've been using for uppers (as I have some very small, 3" or so, ones, but not many of them, so I've been reluctant to use them except on very fine sewing, usually when experimenting). These new ones range all the way from finer/shorter to heavier and longer than my little ones, so I can now happily use the most appropriate bristle for the job, and has given me many year's supply.
Happy Chappie

First photo: Holding my old stash of little bristles (they probably only go about 2/3 the way down the leather pouch), and the copious amounts of the new ones. Below my hand, and in the tin, are the ones I've sorted so far; I drag the points of the tweezers in the photo through a bunch of bristles, while tightly holding the frayed ends, and this removes the fluffy under-coat.

IMG_8834.JPG

And a comparison between the 8" ones and a random one from Martin's bristles. These should be fun.

IMG_8837 copy.JPG

[das]

Big Blue Thumb--Al

[dmcharg]

Took me a couple of moments; "Big Blue Thumb"? Then it finally clicked
Any photos from the AGM, Al?

[das]

Been bugging our erstwhile photog to post 'em, but life's getting the better of him I fear.

[drewannrez]

Mono seems to have the ability to fight back the abrasion whereas the braids seems to take the abrasion in. I used to use a lot of braids then I went back to Mono and was very happy to do so.