Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: islandpiper on March 17, 2009, 09:57:53 pm

Title: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: islandpiper on March 17, 2009, 09:57:53 pm: I have looked in all the fabric stores for real by-golly LINEN. My wife sews all the time so i get to the stores, like it or not. Well, no linen. The closest i have found is a linen/cotton/rayon blend.

I backed a bow with cotton canvas printed with camo pattern. That seemed to work well.

The shops also carry real silk, but it is sort of a knobby texture, not plain flat and smooth.

There is lots of denim available, from old blue jeans. Will this work?

So, the general question is this: IS THERE REALLY A DIFFERENCE IN WOVEN FABRICS AND IF SO WHICH IS BEST AND WHY AND WHICH SHOULD BE AVOIDED?

Thanks in advance!! piper
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Pat B on March 17, 2009, 10:07:00 pm: Ideally you want the strongest but thinnest material you can get. All of the above cloths will work as a bow backing but the heavier the material the more it will rob speed and performance from your bow. Silk makes a good backing because it is thin, light but strong. Linen is heavier than silk but strong with little stretch. I believe cotton would be heavy because it is thicker and absorbent and will suck up more glue adding physical weight. Rayon, Dacron and Nylon are plastic! ;)
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Dane on March 18, 2009, 09:50:32 am: You won't find linen in a regular fabric chain store. Do a google search for linen and add reenactor or historic to find vendors selling the real deal. There are a couple of great sources, but I cant add the names or links, as they don't advertise on PA.

Dane
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Pat B on March 18, 2009, 09:54:17 am: Second hand cloths stores are a good source for silk and linen, plus you get a design for your bows back. Neck ties, blouses, skirts and pants can be bought for not much money, disassembled and added as backings.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: DanaM on March 18, 2009, 09:56:00 am: Quote from: Dane on March 18, 2009, 09:50:32 am
You won't find linen in a regular fabric chain store. Do a google search for linen and add reenactor or historic to find vendors selling the real deal. There are a couple of great sources, but I cant add the names or links, as they don't advertise on PA.

Dane

Hmmm thats odd Dane I bought 100% linen at Jo Ann fabrics.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Dane on March 18, 2009, 10:02:33 am: Maybe so. Each store is different maybe. The local one near me never carries 100%, only blends, and ugly ones at that, shiny blue and so on.

Dane
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: DanaM on March 18, 2009, 10:05:18 am: This was natural light brown color and cost me about $15 a yard :o
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Mark Anderson on March 18, 2009, 11:34:10 am: Quote from: Pat B on March 18, 2009, 09:54:17 am
Second hand cloths stores are a good source for silk and linen, plus you get a design for your bows back. Neck ties, blouses, skirts and pants can be bought for not much money, disassembled and added as backings.
I never thought of that! I've got a bunch of ties from the years gone by that my wife says are "hideous". They might even add a camouflage effect in the woods, if I were hunting in Hawaii.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: stiknstring on March 18, 2009, 11:48:32 am: I found it also at JoAnn fabrics in Billings Montana of all places ;D
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Cooper on March 18, 2009, 04:19:24 pm: In Germany the best source to get really good linen are stores that are selling artist-stuff and painting materials.
Perhaps this work in USA too?
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Shooter_G22 on March 18, 2009, 04:28:11 pm: Hoola Hoola patern silk??? i wonder if you can die silk with maybe a OD green even with the Hoola Hoola patern it might make a good camo if it had a shade of OD in it huh???? ;)
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Pat B on March 18, 2009, 05:04:53 pm: Cooper, that is a good suggestion. My wife is an artist and in some of her catalogs they sell linen and cotton canvas painting canvas by the yard. supply houses like Dick Blick or Crazy Joe's. They even have rabbit glue for canvas sizing.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: adb on March 18, 2009, 09:05:39 pm: A buddy of mine used a set of his wife's silk PJs to back a bow. I can't remember if he told her or not...
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: DanaM on March 18, 2009, 09:06:35 pm: Quote from: adb on March 18, 2009, 09:05:39 pm
A buddy of mine used a set of his wife's silk PJs to back a bow. I can't remember if he told her or not...

Victoria's Secret backing sounds like fun :D
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: sailordad on March 18, 2009, 10:02:03 pm: that would give a new meaning to the term wood bow :D
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: orcbow on March 19, 2009, 08:41:30 am: I did find some natural tan color 100% linen fabric once at a Jo-Ann fabric store, but I had to ask for help to find it. The lady said they don't always have it, cause there is not much demand, almost like an accident that I showed up then. But it ripped apart in tension; it was way too weak to do as backing.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Timo on March 19, 2009, 08:49:23 am: Here's a good place.

http:// store.marthapullen.com/
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: DanaM on March 19, 2009, 09:11:38 am: Quote from: orcbow on March 19, 2009, 08:41:30 am
I did find some natural tan color 100% linen fabric once at a Jo-Ann fabric store, but I had to ask for help to find it. The lady said they don't always have it, cause there is not much demand, almost like an accident that I showed up then. But it ripped apart in tension; it was way too weak to do as backing.

Thats odd, I've never had that problem with it ???
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Hrothgar on March 19, 2009, 09:48:34 am: Piper, in the past I've ordered from Martha Pullan, I think Timo gave you a site above. You can get either 100% linen or a blend. Various colors, inexpensive, and two yards of fabric will back a dozen bows. TB II works well with it.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: George Tsoukalas on March 19, 2009, 10:17:46 am: Jan Fabrics has linen. The other backing I've used is burlap. Plain, old, ordinary, garden store burlap is a jute fiber. Don't use the plastic stiff. It's not natural.I never used canvas or denim. But I've seen denim backed bows and they look really good. Jawge
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: t0dd on March 19, 2009, 11:33:51 am: How about jute string from a hardware store, un-ply it and back with the fibers? Anyone try that?

An aside: I use jute string for silencers.

-t
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: islandpiper on March 19, 2009, 12:40:55 pm: OK, i am now the proud owner of that micron-thickness Osage stave that was posted some time back. Wow, wish i could find more violin wood with rings THAT BLOODY TIGHT!!!

So, i may end up getting a ring as close as possible, and then backing it. Jawge suggested rawhide, I think, earlier. Any chance that one of the favorite woven fabrics will do ? thanks, piper (behaving now)
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: DanaM on March 19, 2009, 12:44:15 pm: Kieth I also have some of that thin ringed osage I would suggest some nice thin deer rawhide :)
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Pat B on March 19, 2009, 12:52:55 pm: I like thin ringed osage and like you said, Keith, follow a ring as best you can but I prefer rawhide as a backing for this application. I believe you will get better protection with the rawhide. I use TBIII for this but hide glue would be an option and possibly a better option.
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: islandpiper on March 19, 2009, 12:57:36 pm: Alright, thin deer rawhide. Anybody want to trade some for.......hmmm......something? Hopefully, something easy to ship. Cajun spice? Wooden spoon? Fiddle strings? piper
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: Pat B on March 19, 2009, 01:09:24 pm: Keith, If I had some rawhide now I would take you up on a trade. I could use a new set of fiddle strings. Then all I would need is a fiddle and bow. ;D
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: a finnish native on March 20, 2009, 08:38:53 pm: only one word. HEMP!
Title: Re: Linen vs cotton vs denim vs textured silk vs canvas, etc
Post by: old foul dude on March 20, 2009, 09:21:22 pm: I bought some 100% linen yesterday at the Jo-Ann Fabrics in Zanesville Ohio. They had natural and chocolate, tight weave, medium weight. It was $14.99 a yard.