I am putting on my next damask warp. I had a pretty big issue with broken threads on my last warp and have not completely figured out the reason behind these broken threads. 

I noticed when I was weaving there was a lot of piling at the reed. I noticed that the tape on the top and bottom of the reed, that covers the nubbly bits, is coming off. I think this may be one factor in the issue I was having. Does anyone know if this is a special kind of tape, or can I just use duct tape to replace what is already there?

Thanks,

Erica

Comments

Joanne Hall

Look to see if your warp threads at rest are in the lower 1/3 of the warp, if you are weaving on a drawloom.   They don't go much lower when you make a shed.  Usually the warp threads do not touch the top or bottom of the reed.

Joanne

Jahanara

Joanne,

Thanks for the advice! I noticed when I was weaving last time that the threads did touch the bottom of the reed when I was beating the warp. I will try to adjust the beater next time to eliminate this, but I would feel better about fixing the tape on the beater before I sleigh the reed for this next warp.

sandra.eberhar…

I have many reeds that the tape came off years ago and work perfectly.  How is it that the warp threads come in contact with this part of the reed?  Are Glimakra reeds made much differently than other reeds? 

If you had a lot of fuzz, or pilling, your warp may not have been tightly spun enough to work well as warp.  That would also account for the broken threads.

Also, at the risk of being called a grammar  nut, a sleigh is a sled, usually pulled by horses.  Pulling warp through a reed is sleying. 

Jahanara

Thanks ReedGuy!

I'll have to take a photo of the reed so you can see if it is made differently from yours. The bits under the tape are quite pokey.

sandra.eberhar…

I don't follow.  Did you get a PM from Reed Guy about this?

Jahanara

Wow! I am not typing the right things in this post! That should have been Thanks Big White Sofa Dog!!!

sally orgren

I used to work in a public library. Once I became a weaver, I noticed the colored canvas tape we used for repairing the spines of books was the same tape that was used on the top and bottom of reeds. It is a little bit different than silver electrician's tape.

Erica J

Thank you !User: sally orgren

I knew I had seen that tape somewhere! I have been working closely with my school's librarian the last few years!

ReedGuy

Gaffer's cloth tape works. Similar to book binder tape. I think there is also a 'friction' cloth tape out there that hockey players taped their sticks with or baseball players use on their bat handles. So those should be easy to find in a sports shop.

I beleieve gaffer's tape is wider and superior quality.

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