When you guys talk about packing thread, I visualize making several wraps and then forcefully mashing them together as tightly as possible and continue the cycle until the guide wrap is complete. Or, is the meaning just closinng any gaps that just need a little nudge to close a gap. I dont "pack" thread but I'll manipulate where needed to close gaps but unless guide foot throws it off line I really do very little moving of the thread, mostly at the point it climbs onto the foot. I put a fair amount of pressure when burnishing and that's it. I hate to think I'm missing something here. When I use a black thread on a chrome foot and examine it under a bright LED light I can uniformly see shimers if chrome between the wraps as the come over the edge of the foot. I have started "doming? my guide feet more and knocking the sharper edges off when dressing.

Packing the thread simply means keeping all the wraps "packed " up against each other to avoid seeing the blank or the guide foot. You are doing it right. You are also doing the right thing to the guide feet, round the edges over and sharpen the toe and get rid of any burs.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Trick used by some -

Production companies do not prep guide feet (breaks barrier)

Black Thread - No Color Preserver - Visible Guide Through Thread - Peepers Look Bad.

Thread can relax when finish is applied - can stretch under load - peepers will appear after use - gapping can occur at anytime.

If you apply two coats finish -

On top of first coat of finish use a trace line in peepe zone of Black Dr. Watson Black India Ink - just a dot over area at upramp on foot where peepers occur.

The ink can be obtained at hobby stores - do not use solvent based Sharpie (Sharpie Has A Low Chloried Marker For Stainless - It if fine)

Bill, can you elaborate on not using a sharpie on stainless guide feet ? I have done it many times. What is the issue doing it ? Thanks in advance. Frank

Regular Sharpies have chloride which corrodes stainless. See comments in Fuji Anglers Resource-I think in guide materials section.

Many guides 304 as a substrate. -

Bending and cold working of the guide during manufacturing cause stress in the bend radius.

Failure mechanism is typically inter-granular cracking - one form of corrosion that causes parts to fail.

A welder who marks a piece of 304 with a Sharpie is shown to the front gate!

If the finish haze cracks around the guide riser chlorides have the ability to contact the guide frame cracking can occur at low stress levels..

Some may get away with bad practices - Why take a chance if it is a known failure mechanism.

A chloride free Sharpie is on the market - costs about a dollar more than the regular.

[www.stainless-steel-world.net]

Ty for the education, you probably saved me future headaches.