My fiance posed a VERY interesting question:

[CrashVector]

I was stringing some braid on a backup reel when my fiance said "That stuff looks just like sewing thread.'

 

Which made me start thinking...which is dangerous lol

 

You CAN buy spectra and Dacron sewing thread.  Same materials...for like $2 a 500yd spool.

 

Has anyone done this..or will I have to be the guinea pig? Lol

 

From my brief research, it seems similar to mono in that it's the diameter and number of piques that matters as for strength, so in THEORY, buying Spectra thread of the same diameter as Spectra braided line should be the same strength.

 

[thediscochef]

The only likely issue I forsee here is the style of weave used to make the line, plus perhaps the size of individual filaments used. Could make for a really noisy, weak, inconsistent, or insensitive line. However it could work and I'm all about experimenting cheaply...I await your results.

[CrashVector]

1 minute ago, thediscochef said:

The only likely issue I forsee here is the style of weave used to make the line, plus perhaps the size of individual filaments used. Could make for a really noisy, weak, inconsistent, or insensitive line. However it could work and I'm all about experimenting cheaply...I await your results.

Yeah, you already know I'm gonna try it lol!

 

I ordered some olive drab Spectra thread that has 45piques per inch.

[thediscochef]

Might try doing a weight test with progressively heavier dumbbells before you spool it, if it breaks at 2lb you save some time and hassle though I read you like to spool/unspool so maybe just spool it on up? I feel you on the spooling/unspooling though. If I lose more than 10 yards of my braid I change it, those extra 10 yards of line on my spinning gear is generally the difference between reaching the reedline or not. But with proper equipment spooling and unspooling is really quite fun and there's nothing like fresh line.

[CrashVector]

2 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Might try doing a weight test with progressively heavier dumbbells before you spool it, if it breaks at 2lb you save some time and hassle though I read you like to spool/unspool so maybe just spool it on up? I feel you on the spooling/unspooling though. If I lose more than 10 yards of my braid I change it, those extra 10 yards of line on my spinning gear is generally the difference between reaching the reedline or not. But with proper equipment spooling and unspooling is really quite fun and there's nothing like fresh line.

 

That's what I was going to do first...attach increasingly heavier dumbbell plates until it breaks.

[thediscochef]

7 minutes ago, CrashVector said:

 

That's what I was going to do first...attach increasingly heavier dumbbell plates until it breaks.

Smart

[J Francho]

I bet it will feel great that you have an extra $20 in your pocket when a fish of a lifetime breaks off.  I can't for the life of me figure out why people try to cheap out on their line of all things.  Buy a trusted brand of braid, and less expensive rod for goodness sake.  It is literally the only thing connecting you to the fish.

[MAN]

Unfortunately you didn't stumble on any hidden industry secret. Same material but the construction is different. Unless your going to use it on cane poles I wouldn't waste the time. 

[WRB]

The evolution of fishing braids dates back over a century with silk, Dacron, Spectra etc. Fishing isn’t thread. Totally different yarn twists and braid carrier technology. 
Tom

[Bankc]

Braid is braided.  Hence it's name.  Thread is spun.  Fishing line is exposed, so it has to be braided to keep the filaments from fraying.  Thread is sewn into things, so very little of it is exposed.  Plus a braided line will be much stronger than a spun line, due to the way the braid distributes the force among the filaments.  

 

Braided fishing line is actually used in the garment world sometimes, when added strength and durability are needed.  You'll typically see it used for bead work.  You don't normally need the added strength of braid for sewing, as at some point the fabric itself will tear before the thread breaks.  So braided fishing line is usually an unnecessary cost.  But it's properties are known, and it is not known as having identical properties to spun Spectra sewing thread.

 

Plus I imagine knots would be a lot less stable on thread.  The braiding gives the line texture that helps to hold knots better.  

[Mike L]

37 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I bet it will feel great that you have an extra $20 in your pocket when a fish of a lifetime breaks off.  I can't for the life of me figure out why people try to cheap out on their line of all things.  Buy a trusted brand of braid, and less expensive rod for goodness sake.  It is literally the only thing connecting you to the fish.

Ditto

Ditto!!

Ditto!!!

 

 

 

 

Mike

[CrashVector]

56 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I bet it will feel great that you have an extra $20 in your pocket when a fish of a lifetime breaks off.  I can't for the life of me figure out why people try to cheap out on their line of all things.  Buy a trusted brand of braid, and less expensive rod for goodness sake.  It is literally the only thing connecting you to the fish.

 

I trust in my sufix ProMix lol!

 

I was just goofing around, and I like experimenting.

[GreenPig]

Spider Wire worked pretty good for repairing my dogs dinosaur after she ripped it's neck out.

[bulldog1935]

Pretty much all of us who have tried different braids and focused in on a choice or choices for niches have moved past the problems of cheaper braids. 

Not looking to randomly find more problems. 

It's still easiest to talk about braids in silk thread sizes - this is PE#0.8

[Tennessee Boy]

This is an interesting thread…..pun intended.  ?

[LrgmouthShad]

18 hours ago, J Francho said:

off.  I can't for the life of me figure out why people try to cheap out on their line of all things.

Trilene big game called and would like to have a talk with you

[CrashVector]

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Trilene big game called and would like to have a talk with you

Trilene big game is my "standard" line.

 

I just thought it was an interesting postulation, as you CAN buy braided Dacron sewing thread.

[LrgmouthShad]

9 minutes ago, CrashVector said:

Trilene big game is my "standard" line.

I don't expecting to be using any other line for a while. But @J Francho, generally I agree with what you said about people should not skimp out on line. An example of a little pricier line Ive used is seaguar invisx that i caught on a huge sale last winter. it's good stuff, just have more confidence in big game. 

 

I caught my pb on a spinning set up with 20lb power pro and 10lb invisx leader.... with a spinnerbait. Literally just using what I had on hand but invisx and my fg knot refused to let me down.

[J Francho]

Big Game is inexpensive, but it is not cheap. It represents one of the better bang for the buck lines out there. 

[DitchPanda]

5 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Big Game is inexpensive, but it is not cheap. It represents one of the better bang for the buck lines out there. 

Significant difference between inexpensive and cheap.

[LrgmouthShad]

38 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Big Game is inexpensive, but it is not cheap

good call there ?

[Boomstick]

Try thread and see what happens. I can break most thread with my bare hands. With most braided line, I'll hurt myself before I break it.

[Phil77]

On 10/23/2021 at 8:41 PM, Boomstick said:

Try thread and see what happens. I can break most thread with my bare hands. With most braided line, I'll hurt myself before I break 

Yeah that deep surgical cut really smarts. I'll tie a cleat hitch and use the trolling motor. I am interested to see if this works. I use the cheap j braid or Berkley solutions stuff that's 10-12 bucks for 150yds.

 

[Boomstick]

7 hours ago, Phil77 said:

Yeah that deep surgical cut really smarts. I'll tie a cleat hitch and use the trolling motor. I am interested to see if this works. I use the cheap j braid or Berkley solutions stuff that's 10-12 bucks for 150yds.

 

When you consider I get about 3 seasons on a spool of braid, that's not too bad!

[bulldog1935]

@Boomstick  3 seasons, interesting number. 

Of course we don't have seasons here, well, summer and winter with intermittent summer, and we fish year round. 

The first X-braid I tried was by accident, Florida Fishing Products Distance Braid on my first inshore Stradic 4000, and it's been fishing since fall '19.  

Bought it because it was x8, coated, and I was unimpressed with uncoated x4 braids. 

I can't wear this stuff out, 15-lb is 0.13 mm, and I believe it to be the same line as Varivas.