Polyester thread, waxed or non-waxed?

Hengelo_77

Hengelo_77

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Mar 2, 2006
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I'm looking to get new thread for hand stiching.
I'm leaning towards polyester because it is strong, durable, holds it's colour and is affordable.
(or am I wrong there?)

It is available waxed and non-waxed.

So wich one to get and why?
What does the wax do?

I finish my last stitch by tying both ends on to eachother between the layers of leather.
If I want to secure that knot with a drop of super glue, is the thread best non-waxed, as no glue will hold on something waxed?
 
The wax locks the stitch in place. I use a lighter to seal the the end after back stitching a few. You could also use a soldering iron to be more precise. Those 284 yd spools for like 9 bucks is what I use. 1mm flat poly or nylon thread. Still needs a bit more wax by hand.


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The wax helps with knot tying, and keeping the stitching from soaking in water. I say get a spool of each and test it out for yourself and find which one you like best and just get that when you need more.
 
agreed 100% on the waxed thread.

After stitching with both, and experiencing the difference between the two, its a no brainer. Unwaxed thread has a habit of loosening while your stitching. Its a maddening thing, not impossible to do but very frustrating.
 
The wax also lubricates the thread, reducing wear from being pulled through the leather multiple times.
 
What I use takes a little more time to get set up, but from what I read it makes for a better product. I buy Barbour's linen natural unwaxed thread. I use 5 cord right twist since I only do hand stitching. I can dye the thread whatever color I want using the leather dye I already have. I usually use the same color I am using on my edges. Then I wax the thread myself using coad or "sticky wax". It is a mix of neetsfoot oil, beeswax and pitch or rosin (like you use on a violin bow). It gets even stickier than just wax. Old cobblers would use it. Apparently you could sew 2 pieces of leather together, then cut the cross pieces of thread off the top and bottom of the leather and just the 2 pieces of thread running through the leather pieces would hold the leather together. So, doing it this way plus gluing the pieces together first, there are 3 different holding layers to hold the sheath together.
 
I prefer nylon thread, but have used polyester. I don't use waxed. I had some Tandy waxed thread and it grabbed dye from the leather and loose leather threads.

Also didn't like the wax it left on my hands.

I took a thin piece of round steel and hammered it flat at the tip to melt the ends of the snipped thread to seal them. I bought a watch makers pin vise to hold the steel piece and the flat tip leaves a clean finish. Heat it up with a lighter and run it over the thread tip.

DON
 
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