Page 19 - Lindsey Philpott "The Ultimate Book of Decorative Knots"

MATErIALs, METHods, MEAsUrEMEnTs, And TooLs 13

of a hole like toffee), or spun from a melt through
a spinneret (like a spider uses to make its silk), and
then combined to make the final line. This spinning
process is quite fascinating and involves the gyration
of opposite-twist threads on large spools twisted
around each other on a carousel that has many pairs
of spools dancing around each other. The process
is kept under rigid tension control by computer
and produces a very even-thickness line of uniform
colour, weave, and strength.

What works
Lines made from natural fibres are attractive and
will form a touchable surface. Natural fibres also
have ecological benefits and are replaceable by
growing new fibres or collecting more horsehair or
and quite coarse when made into rope. The rope coir. They also have an attractive odour that is all
tends to be weak in comparison with manila, but it but impossible to find with inorganic lines. Organic
is much lower in cost. lines are more heat-resistant than inorganic fibres.
The horsehair above is taken from a horse’s They may char, however, so do not assume that they
mane and tail. It tends to make soft but prickly resist all heat. Organic fibres also have an attractive
braids and is found ready-made principally in South colour variation throughout that some prefer to the
America, although some dealers of horse tack sell uniformity of colour in an inorganic line. Lastly,
horsehair by the pound. organic lines are very inexpensive and usually
lighter in weight when compared with inorganic
How does it work? lines. Inorganic lines are very useful if you must
For organic lines, fibres from the living plant are occasionally run the item through a wash cycle.
first cut and then rotted in ponds of lye to remove Certain inorganic lines will also withstand abrasion
the pith in which the fibres are embedded. After a quite well, although it is hard to beat the durability
suitable length of time the fibres are removed from of coir rope. Inorganic lines may withstand sunlight
the lye, rinsed, and then dried in the sun. They are better than organic lines, although do beware of
then hackled by being drawn repeatedly in bundles polypropylene lines – they turn to powder with
through a series of metal combs and brushes (that excessive exposure to sunlight!
use nails instead of rubber teeth) to straighten the
fibres and to remove any rubbish, like bark or thick What doesn’t work
stem growth, that may still be around. The fibres are If you’re not willing to replace the fibres from time
then twisted into yarns, the yarns are twisted into to time, don’t put your organic line work where
strands, and the strands are twisted into ropes or people can touch it. You can coat natural fibres
lines. Each twisting is done in the opposite direction to protect them, but any coatings you use will
to the one previous. inevitably change their characteristics. If you wish
Cotton line is also made from raw fibres, but the your work to be preserved, install it behind glass,
treatment (lye) is not as harsh as it is for the other Perspex, or some other laminated, clear surface
vegetable fibres and the spinning is done almost that prevents human contact. Note also that natural
entirely by machine. fibres will eventually lose their elasticity. They also
Inorganic fibres are made by extrusion (pushing dry out over time, particularly if the temperature is
out of a hole like toothpaste), pultrusion (pulling out not controlled carefully. Once dried out they cannot