Silk Lines

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (baetisrodhani) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:29:54 GMT

Hi again Lawrence,
The siccative I used, a clear water-like liquid, is made by Talens and sold under the name of "Courtrai siccative", at least in Europe... But I gather a good artists' supply store in your neighborhood will provide you with a suitable equivalent, if that one is not available.
As for refinishing line tips only, I've also done it and had positive results. It only takes a good rub down with alcohol to eliminate floatants & dirt before...

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:57:57 GMT

Thank you for your advice LEO. I think I won't fish the Marvin Hedge after all. With all this discussion of silk lines I have been looking at mine more closely. I have noticed that my Phoenix lines that get a lot of use are a bit rougher in the last 12 ft or so (at the tip) - not terribly, but it made me wonder whether at a certain point one can/needs to strip and re-finish JUST the tip of the line. Has anyone tried that? OR does it create an bad hinge? Lawrence

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:35:48 GMT

Another question for all: I have what was sold to me as a Marve Hedge silk line that I think has the kind of enamel finish that has been mentioned above. I could strip this and put a varnish/oil finish on it, but it hasn't been fished so I am thinking of leaving the enamel finish on it and trying it out as is. With these enameled silk lines, was mucillin used, or is one supposed to fish them without any line dressing? Thanks, Lawrence

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:32:22 GMT

Interesting Baetisrodhani. My sticky Thebault lines are a DT8 and WF8 salmon lines. Could you give me a source and/or proprietary name for the lead siccative you used? I found a company that sells what they call copal varnish. Thanks Lawrence

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (baetisrodhani) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:30:30 GMT

Hello to all,
I got, a year back or so, on a quite well known auction site, a #8 DT salmon Thebault line, unused & "NIB", but tacky from box confinement. I of course thought of refinishing it thoroughly, but had the idea of trying a less painstaking solution first, just in case... So I first rubbed it down with a soft cloth dipped in a solution of artist's copal varnish (derived from a Renaissance recipe and still used by tradition-oriented painters), to which I added...

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:40:06 GMT

Thanks for the clarification! Lawrence

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:51:19 GMT

Thank you for the advice LEO, and your detailed posts in the other thread. For the Thebault line specifically, do you know whether, after removing whatever is on it with baking soda and water, I should first re-finish it with an oil/varnish mixture, and then apply the Thebault dressing, or go straight to conditioning it with the Thebault dressing (without puTting oil/varnish on it)?

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (Yawning Owl) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:49:08 GMT

My Tebalult line was NOT tacky when it was new - still isnt.

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (trouting) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:48:19 GMT

I have inherited an old tacky silk line from a great uncle which I am looking forward to restoring so will be following up on some of the above thoughts. I've been fishing Phoenix silk lines in 4 and 5wt and love them - they land very quietly on the water, shoot well (which is important even for very short casts when one is adjusting the length of cast), and they smell & feel great! I have a question about the Theabault lines - I bought 2 of these NIB from a forum member but...

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (Zenkoanhead) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:50:37 GMT

I needed a supple 000 weight line for a micro Forbes so I treated nylon backing with Tru-oil. Not saturated, rubbed on between thumb and forefinger. Added very little stiffness. Afterwards coated with Mucilin. Worked fine. I would imagine Alex's experiment would yield similar results. Don

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (Yawning Owl) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:40:47 GMT

kruatcaster,

I would be interested in how you refinished your silk line too. I have one recipy for a restoration project and line finish and would love to compair with what you used.

Jack

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (oldfishbrain) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:58:31 GMT

In an attempt to produce an ultralight silk line I treated an old silk casting line. The line came from an old Sears-Roebuck & Co. spool labeled "Black Beauty" Best No 1 Japan silk casting line, Special Process Waterproofed, 24 lbs test. Since it did not have an obvious coating, I did not bother to strip it. 30ft weighed 3.2 grams which should give me a line of less than 1wt.
I gave it three coats of boiled linseed oil by pulling it through a cloth saturated with the oil. I...

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (findwolfhard) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:56:34 GMT

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Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (krautcaster) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 04:25:13 GMT

The linseed oil that Dr. Schott recommended to me is actually labelled "sun bleached" and pretty fast drying. It was a vast improvement over the stuff I used before. It is a Swedish product called "Linolja" that is distributed in Germany by a local company that is specialized in such materials. It might well be available in the USA also. Andy

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (PennsCreek) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:37:50 GMT

Thanks Watercolorman and Eastprong your knowledge and advice regarding tru oil---- The line I have to restore is a Dt-6 in great condition condition. I have stripped the old and will replace the new using Reed's formula. It's seem that Reed has forgotten more than I will ever know about this process. Thanks Reed!

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (WatercolorMan) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:48:03 GMT

Tru-oil is a Polymerized linseed and Polymerized tung oil combined. It cures very fast unless thinned. It cures hard and glossy. Develops cracks in the film if applied to thick. I've use it on a few rods I built and it worked fine but I have no clue how it would perform on a line.

I guess if it dosen't work out you could strip and redo your line.

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (bdcanefly) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:33:13 GMT

Great advice Reed.

Sharps..
Just look on ebay for old reels, many have line on them.
Also do not forget swap meets and yard sales.
I have found dozens of old lines.

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (overmywaders) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:58:28 GMT

Anssi,

I would really dissuade you from using "raw" linseed oil. Raw linseed has non-drying "foots" which severely retard the drying of the finish. See from The Handbook of Industrial Oil Engineering below:

In conservation we would sometimes make "sun thickened Linseed...

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (krautcaster) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:45:02 GMT

Anssi, Nathan, PM´s sent... Best wishes, Andy

Re: Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (sharps4590) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:24:30 GMT

I'd just like to be able to FIND some old silk lines to restore!

Vic

Silk Lines

feeds@yuku.com (flyfishing4life) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:44:46 GMT

I know that this has probably been covered here before, but I am really interested in getting a silk line for the new bamboo rod that I built. Several factors come to mind though... why such a high price ? How long does it take to break them in ? Why are some lines so short? and any other general knowledge that some of you folks have about these lines would be greatly appreciated. I don't care to dress and let dry or switch ends during the day so that's no big deal I think the extra...