Kevlar Thread?

[headchange4u]

I got in my six spools of Kevlar thread today: olive drab, dirt brown, black, red, yellow, and orange. It's made of several strands and looks just like normal thread, maybe a little thinner than the WM polyester thread I use. The spools are small (50 yards each) and I was thinking about using it to make my tarp. I figure I can wind the bobbin with one color and sew with another color.

HOLY CRAP!!!!

This stuff can't be broken by hand. It would cut you before it breaks. I had three different people at work tried to break it and all were left shaking their heads in disbelief and shaking their hands from the pain of trying to break it. I also tried to cut the thread with some standard scissors here at work and they wouldn't cut it. I'm gonna try my wife's titanium scissors at home. The only way to break the thread is to burn it with a lighter.

I am having a little bit of apprehension on even using this thread to sew with in my machine. I'm afraid that if the thread binds up while sewing it may tear up the machine. I will try a few stitches and see.

I will definitely start carrying a spool of this stuff in my pack, probably the yellow because of visibility. It would be great for fishing line, dental floss, gear repair, animal snares, trip line, etc. I swear if this stuff was bigger you could use this stuff for tarp guy lines. It would probably cut through the tie-outs before breaking.

Oh and it would be a terrific garret, JJ. Probably cut someone’s head off with this stuff.

[The Breeze]

sounds great . and the thing with the sewing machine it would break the needle first now if it got hung in the dogs that maybe something but if it was that strong i would use it as bear bag rope hehehehe

[Coffee]

Let us know how it goes.

After I killed my last machine with the wrong thread, too thick and gumed everything up, I am sticking with normal thread for awhile.

[slowhike]

yep... let us know how it goes in the sewing mach. i think that stuff would be great for certian applications. ...tim

[Frolicking Dino]

This might be good for rigging tarps http://cgi.ebay.com/50-of-50-KEVLAR-...QQcmdZViewItem
This is a link to this guy's ebay store - lots of interesting thread.

[slowhike]

what does the 12#, 20#, 50#, etc stand for? is that the thread weight?

[Frolicking Dino]

Thread weight is a difficult system to define. However, the larger the number, the thinner the thread will be. The system originally used a set amount of weight and the number referred to the length of the thread that would equal that weight. Here is an article on thread weight

[headchange4u]

I tried using is in my sewing machine and it didn't do to well. For starters, the thread frays really easily and gums the machine up. If the the thread tangles it will stop my machine in it's tracks. If the thread was waxed it would probably be much better. I also got a bird nest of fibers hung on the bobbin hook and I had to clean it out of the machine.

I did manage to sew about 2 feet on my new tarp before it gummed up my machine. It took me the better part of 10 minutes to rip the seam open and remove the thread. My seam ripper had a hard time cutting the thread also. I decided to stick with what works and use the WM poly thread.

I sure wish this thread would work because it would make a great ridgeline seam for a tarp and would be great for gear that has stress on the seams.

[The Breeze]

try wax paper or put a block parfen wax that you can get at the grocery store where the thread feed to coat the thread hope this helps

[Frolicking Dino]

May I suggest sewing the seam as usual and then hand sewing a kevlar seam on the ridgeline. This will add the strength without gunmming up your machine.