Seeking flax (linen) thread for bow strings

[Eric Garza]

Greetings folks. Years ago I bought a large spool of very high quality linen thread that I've used to make many excellent bow strings. Earlier this year I used the last of it, and after spending time on the Internet I'm not able to find the online store I bought it from. For those who make natural bow strings, where are folks getting their linen thread from these days?

[High-Desert]

I usually grow it an process it, it's easy and doesn't take much space to grow.

[DC]

How do you know you're getting the right seed? I got some from the health food store and it grew fine but it was short. Turns out there is seed flax(what I had) and fiber flax(taller).

[willie]

Marc van de Bilt, the developer of the Marilyn flax variety, and his daughter Eugenie at their company headquarters in The Netherlands. He said he wanted a flax plant as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe.

from         flaxforsale.com

[Badger]

  I can't think of the name of the place but it is a few blocks from my house. He lets me test the linen before I but it. Last year he had some real good 6ply and I bout all the 1" rolls he had. I will check back tomorrow and let you know what he has

[Eric Garza]

Thanks Steve. Does he do mail order?

[Badger]

It runs about 28.00 for 1# spools. If I find a good one should I pick it up and mail it to you? Most of what I checked is average and acceptable but some of the primo stuff is almost double the strength. I find that linen checks out at exactly 1/2 the rated strength because of the way they check it. My six strand was breaking at 38#. 6# stronger than the 8 strand he had. 

[Badger]

It runs about 28.00 for 1# spools. If I find a good one should I pick it up and mail it to you? Most of what I checked is average and acceptable but some of the primo stuff is almost double the strength. I find that linen checks out at exactly 1/2 the rated strength because of the way they check it. My six strand was breaking at 38#. 6# stronger than the 8 strand he had. He tells me it all comes from the same mills so checking individual rolls seems to be the best method.

[High-Desert]

I just bought the seed from the health food store and it has worked fine. Fibers end up being about 18". From what I read, the only difference was the harvest time. Seed flax is left on to the point the seed pods are dry, but fiber flax is harvest around the time the flowers are  stop blooming. But I'm sure there is a variety that was bred for longer fibers.

Eric

[Eric Garza]

It runs about 28.00 for 1# spools. If I find a good one should I pick it up and mail it to you? Most of what I checked is average and acceptable but some of the primo stuff is almost double the strength. I find that linen checks out at exactly 1/2 the rated strength because of the way they check it. My six strand was breaking at 38#. 6# stronger than the 8 strand he had.

Definitely, as long as the price is reasonable. I'll PM you my address.