FLYMPH FORUM

I just picked up several 100 meter spools of Gutermann silk. Since I'm a novice at North Country flies I'm a bit confused as to the relative merits of Gutermann compared to Pearsall silks, compared with embroidery and sewing threads (silk and cotton). The Gutermann is much heavier and is multi-strand, but quite honestly makes a pretty good looking soft-hackle body (very textured). My lady, who is a very highly accomplished needlewoman and who knows something about the history of her craft is of the opinion that the demi-gods of fly-fishing and tying such as Pritt and Stewart used what was available, more often than not lifting the material from their lady's sewing basket. Related to the relative merits of tying with these silks is what their colors look like underwater. Thanks for your input, and I'm really enjoying reading this forum's contents; I'm learning a great deal. Irv

Irv, your good lady is correct on all counts by my book.
Gutermann is more easily available here in NZ compared to Pearsall's. However I have not used much of it myself.
The denier (thickness) of the Gutermann thread reminds me a lot of the Kinkame #50 I picked up in the US. Good for fly bodies as you note, but heavy in regard to most tying threads as a rule and can lead to bulky heads.
Very suitable to use for fly bodies like buttonhole weight thread, where a "working" thread of finer denier is used to bind the heavier thread on, the heavier wound as a body and the finer thread tying it off at the thorax area.
You could also cut lengths of the Gutermann thread several inches long, separate the individual strands and use each to tie finer bodied or smaller flies.

Thanks, Mataura! I've taken note of your valuable suggestions and will definitely tie up a bunch of spiders using your ideas!

I see Gutermann is listed as 100 weight. What's the thickness difference between that and 3/0 Pearsalls?

zen leecher wrote:I see Gutermann is listed as 100 weight. What's the thickness difference between that and 3/0 Pearsalls?

Somewhere I have seen a reference chart comparing denier to /0 gauges..... just cannot remember where.
I imagine 100 will be closer to gossamer weight threads, perhaps a little finer. A lot of bamboo rod makers use #100 silks from YLI or Gutermann as binding thread, gives a very fine flat transition from rod blank to binding.
I am in San Francisco again and will be visiting Britex Fabrics again (they have a web/phone/mail ordering/delivery service) to see if they have Kinkame #100 weight silks in stock.

Donald, great to see you posting again!

Howdy All;

Here's one such chart...

http://whitetailflytieing.com/thread/

Hope it helps.

hank