I'm about to use silk thread for the first time in my life and, after 35+ years of rod building, again feel like a rank amateur. I'll be doing this on a Sage TXL 1-wt. so I want to get it right the first time. I've read whatever I could find here but still have a few questions:
1. I've seen that fraying can be a problem. My old home-made wrapping jig applies pressure to the spool but does pass the thread through two SiC guides. Should I expect any problems?
2. I don't normally use color preserver on guide wraps when I use nylon thread. I like the way epoxy penetrates and seals the wraps. Can I do the same thing with silk thread?..........and if I do, will the thread darken uniformly?
3. Is it really recommended to use color preserver on silk?
4. When I do use color preserver on wraps, I extend the epoxy finish slightly past the wraps to ensure the best seal I can get. If I use color preserver on these wraps will this be advisable here?
5. Is there another potential "gotcha" out there that I haven't thought of?
Sincere thanks for any assistance.

Good evening Jim,
I had used silk for many years, but stopped using it when fabric stores stopped stocking it.
1. It can be used with or without CP. Most of the old bamboo rods were wrapped with silk thread without using CP. When finished with varnish or epoxy, silk thread will become translucent.
2. I have not found silk thread to fray anymore than nylon. If you are using Sic rings to run the thread through, you won't have any trouble.
3. However you apply epoxy with nylon or the other threads (metallic or polyester), you can do the same with silk thread.
4. I have never observed any blotching with silk thread--I'm not saying it can't occur, but I have never had it occur with me.

I hope I have answered your questions. Good luck.

Mike Blomme

Silk is oval , nylon is round, you need to pay attention on your packing. Silk will fray because it is made up of pieces of silk. Using your method of tension will help you with the fraying by not running thru the tensioner with the silk.
You will get blotching with silk when you are using cp,, and the cp didn't do it's job. You normally have to use 3 to 5 coats of cp with silk (at least with bamboo) before final finish. If you finish without cp , your silk will be transparent but at the same time have the color show thru.
Be careful not to let the thread lap another thread. VERY EASY to do with silk, and doesn't show up easily until finish is applied. And again,,, try to maintain the same packing pressure thruout the wraps, as silk is easy to compress.
Have fun,,, I think you will like what you get.

I use a lot of silk as well and agree with the comments above. I would like to emphasize the importance of Fred's comment about lapping threads (and implied packing of threads) by suggesting you be extra careful when wrapping and packing silk. It goes smoothly, but seems to be able to have the ocasional thread "escape". I use extra light and my magnifier every time when working with silk.

Joe Douglas

I use silk on about 99.9% of the bamboo rods I make and refinish. The most problems you wil have are because even the larger sizes of silk are still much finer than size A nylon. It will fray if you mistreat it, but it won't matter much by the time you finish it. Whether or not to use CP depends on what color thread you are using and what color the blank underneath is. If you are wrapping over a black blank, then you will need cp for most colors, silk goes transparent with epoxy or varnish and no cp. Do some experimental wraps either where the grip wil go or on some scrap blanks of the same color first to see what you get.
john