Is Gutterman thread necessary?

> What characteristics of Rasant thread make it your personal choice, particularly
> since it's part cotton?
Technically, it is what is called 'core-spun' thread. That basically means the polyester core is surrounded by a sheath of cotton fibres. With this design you get the strength of the PE core of continuous filaments and the cotton sheath provides an abrasion buffer and a heat buffer and also a bit more friction when the threads are locked together in the stitch. (As opposed to a heterogenous mixture of chopped filaments all spun together.) And the thread is a bit more round.

Some claim the cotton sheath swells up when it gets wet and fills the needle hole. I have me doubts about that one, as the amount of swelling would be a bit small… On the other hand, the cotton sheath is probably good at giving silicone proofing something to bond to.

100% PE thread such as Tera 80 (which I have never used) and Amann Serifil can be tricky stuff to handle. The shiny surface can make it tricky to adjust the tension on a machine mainly designed for a semi-cotton surface. The hard-surface 100% PE thread can get all kinked up after going through some tensioning systems. In some cases you have to be careful about whether the bobbin should unwind at the side or give the thread off over the end. Pulling it off the end of the bobbin puts a slight twist in the thread, but some threads seem to be designed to be handled this way. But poly-cotton has none of these complications, afaik.

Cheers
PS: Rasant 75 indeed: 70 was a typo (or mistake).

For what it's worth, I've been using the Mara 120 sold at sewtrue.com with much success for both my Consew 226 and my home machine. It's for lighter duty applications, but it's been great where the Tera has been just too heavy. But, my focus has been on sleeping envelopes, so YMMV.

I've been using the crummy fabric store Gutterman for years

I've probably used 6 spools of 1000 meters each

I've used it for tents, clothes, packs,…

I have noticed the thread breaks on straight seams of silnylon tent right at the corners where the silnylon stretches but the polyester thread doesn't so I don't fault the thread. When I use a zigzag stitch near the corner it avoids the problem.

I can't think of any other thread failure.

I use two overlapping rows of bar tack to attach shoulder strap to pack – probably the most demanding application. Hasn't failed in years. Maybe with better thread I could use one row or something.

Maybe I'll get some of the good stuff, or maybe I'm too lazy and hate to "fix what ain't broke"

Doesn't anybody use Mettler thread?

Some that I have is Mettler Poly Sheen 702 #40. 100% polyester.

I got it for repair of a North Face tent one time, and I was told that it was _the_ thread to use. It seems like decent stuff.

–B.G.–

Bob,

I use Mettler, both in my thread injector and serger. It is good stuff and I like it better than Gutterman, although I've never had much problem with Gutterman. I've found a failed seam is typically user error more so than a thread issue.

Ryan

Mettler "Metrosene" was previously mentioned. It's probably the best quality (in a utility size) thread available for home machines in a variety of colors.

It's good.

Store stocked Gutterman thread is decent also. Mettler threads are impossible to source in cones. Gutterman isn't, and they offer a great quality mono filament thread, that's a little thick for 7/10 denier fabrics, but great for anything heavier. It's much stronger than the average Gutterman or Mettler threads. I think it's called Tera 80. The Mara 120 is the lighter double spun stuff, that's ideal for 7d fabrics, but I think I prefer metrosene plus for that.

Bear in mind that ultimately, small spools will feed better for home machines that they're designed and spun for. Cones will feed better vertically on commercial machines, quid pro quo. Each machine likes different thread.

All this information is only relevant to sewing light weight fabrics. Making packs and shelters requires totally different and much heavier threads.

Javan,

I stumbled upon a source for the Metrosene cones.

http://www.redrockthreads.com/mettler-thread/mettler-metrosene-thread.asp

There are 24 colors to choose from at the 547 yard size and 21 colors to choose from at the 1000m size cone.

Also available from…

http://sewingsupplywarehouse.com/metmetplus.html

Party On,

Newton

Wow, good find man!

Too bad I've got a lifetime supply of Gutterman. 8000m cones with 4 cone minimums, and the fact that I'm not really sewing much these days.. =”,jdempsey”

I got the response from amann local dealer here regarding the treatment process of Rasant 120 WR. Its made out of a fluorocarbon DWR process where its applied with lick-rollers and following a condensation process under specific temperature, its get a water-repellent properties.
And as its use fluorocarbon, its not suitable for silicon base sealant to works together. My opinion, for best application, seamgrip it from inside after sewn. So its stop the water very well before it has a chance to get in..