Tiger tail wire

"Tiger-tail" redirects here. For other uses, see Tiger tail (disambiguation).

Tiger tail wire (also simply called tiger tail or tiger-tail) is a kind of thin wire encased in nylon often used in beaded jewellery, and that is particularly suited to stringing heavy beads and sharp beads, which tend to fray other kinds of thread.[1] For this reason, tiger tail is the thread of choice for gemstones.[2] Some tiger tail has multiple intertwined wire threads under the nylon coating.[3] The wire threads are made of stainless steel.[4] Tiger tail cannot be fashioned into a knot in order to end a sequence of beads as other kinds of thread can,[5] therefore crimp beads are often used for this purpose instead.[6] Crimp beads are also used as spacers between other beads strung on tiger tail.[7] Among the types of wire used for bead stringing, tiger tail is the most common.[8] Tiger tail is easier to use than many other kinds of thread, and it does not require the use of a sewing needle.[9] Tiger tail has high ultimate tensile strength and is therefore extremely difficult to tear,[10] but if it is creased or twisted, tiger tail has a tendency to kink and then become brittle in the kinked area.[11]

References

  1. Pam Scheunemann (2010). Cool Beaded Jewelry. ABDO Publishing Company. p. 15. ISBN 1617846317.
  2. Amanda Doughty (2009). Bangles and Bracelets. A & C Black. p. 42. ISBN 0713679298.
  3. Elizabeth Gourley; Ellen Talbott (2002). Quick & Easy Beaded Jewelry. Krause Publications. p. 11. ISBN 087349377X.
  4. Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell (2004). Vintage-Style Beaded Jewelry. North Light Books. p. 8. ISBN 1581805470.
  5. Lockwood (1988), p. 86.
  6. Lockwood (1988), p. 87.
  7. Cheryl Owen (2007). 101 Sparkling Necklaces. Random House. p. 14. ISBN 1770074783.
  8. Dawn Cusick; Megan Kirb (2003). The Michaels Book of Arts & Crafts. Sterling Publishing. p. 498. ISBN 1579905307.
  9. Sara Withers; Stephanie Burnham (2005). The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide, with an Inspirational Gallery of Finished Works. Running Press. p. 16. ISBN 076242043X.
  10. Irene From Petersen (2005). Silver Wire Jewelry: Projects to Coil, Braid & Knit. Sterling Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 1579906451.
  11. John Michael Greer; Clare Vaughn (2007). Pagan Prayer Beads: Magic and Meditation with Pagan Rosaries. Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari. p. 56. ISBN 1578633842.

Bibliography