Kudzu Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 I have been talking to Mill that does specialty weaving in smaller runs about some fabrics. I sent them samples of the existing fabric, they analyzed them and they made some recommendations.I was very surprised to find out that the 8 oz. fabric I sell is actually a 6 oz fabric. They sent me a sample of a 6 oz polyester that is supposed to be twice as twice as strong as the "8 oz" we sell. It has a beautiful fine, tight weave with a high thread count. It much thinner and smoother and honestly feels like it would be much weaker. I haven't tried painting it yet but I am betting it is going to have a very smooth finish. Probably will only take 2 coats of paint to seal it. The only problem I see is it will probably cost $6.00 a foot vs. $4.50 for the existing 8 oz. That is getting close to the 11 oz at $7 a foot if I could get some more. Speaking of which I have found a replacement for the 11 oz but it would go up to $8 a foot. I thought it was pretty expensive at $7 so I have been hesitant to buy it.. I really like this fabric and I think it would make a great skin. I don't plan on dropping the "8 oz' fabric but the new one appears to be a much better choice, expect for price. Photo of the two. the 8 oz I sell on the right. The new on the left. You can see how much finer the weave it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich D Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 I haven't used the 8 oz because I liked the idea of the extra strength and smoothness of the 11 oz. But if I can get both strength and smoothness with less weight it sounds promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 I have to call my contact and talk to him again, but I think the new fabric is close to the 11 oz. in strenth. It would sure be easier to sew than the 11 which is really borderline overkill but sometimes overkill is not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotlon Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Jeff, in your OP, you've confused me. You stated: "They sent me a sample of a 6 oz polyester that is supposed to be twice as twice as strong as the "8 oz" we sell. It has a beautiful fine, tight weave with a high thread count. It much thinner and smoother and honestly feels like it would be much weaker. " Then, later in your post, you stated: "I really like this fabric and I think it would make a great skin. I don't plan on dropping the "8 oz' fabric but the new one appears to be a much better choice, expect for price. " So, I'm unsure of your view on this fabric. Can you clarify? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 I think fabric is like boat designs, everything is a compromise. I like what I see but the price concerns me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Jeff. I'm game to try the new fabric on the left of your photo. I don't have my Vardo built yet, but if that fabric is available when I need it, I'd put it on my kayak. I like the tightness of the weave. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Exciting. I'm anxious, and all for easier to sew. Although, I sew a fair deal of heavy duck, and SHARP needles help. Yes, Virginia, you can hone em just like a fish hook... The stuff on the left looks like a shiny version of the recycled bottle cloth, which has a great weave and was easy to sew. Shoot, by the time I get ready to skin, this will probably be academic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Photo of the two fabric painted and abused. Two coats of Rustoleum black because that was what was handy. Two coats sealed the new fabric no problem. Old still needs a 3rd coat. I probably should not have used black, it makes the smoother fabric look a little smoother than it actually is, but it is much smoother looking than the original 8 oz. I beat them with a screwdriver till I put holes in t hem. I filed the edged with a rasp. Then I beat them with the rasp. Verdict is the new fabric seems as tough as the original. The new one MIGHT puncture just a little easier but without some consistent method of testing it is just an educated guess. But both take a hard impact to puncture the skin so what ever difference there is won't matter in practical terms. You have to remember we paddle at 5-6 mph if you are sprinting. Most times 3 mph is more the average. So impacts are relativity minor. No where near what it took to puncture the skin. Beating it with the rasp, cosmetically speaking the new fabric fared better. It didn't scare as bad and I didn't see an bare threads. I saw a few bare (broken?) threads on the old fabric. But again, it's not a great way to test them because there is no consistency. Pretty confident this new fabric will hold up as well as the old. Probably will order a roll of it. Also, glad I waited on ordering the new 11 oz I found. My original supplier has a new salesman and he informed me of how I can buy smaller quantities of the original fabric. I guess I was to small for the guy he replaced to fool with. So should have it back in stock in couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 That looks great. Looks to be easier to get a clean line on, too. Tiger stripes, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotlon Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 OK...thanks, Jeff. I'll order enough of the new fabric for the Short Shot, as soon as you have it in. Keep us updated. Lon "hasn't cut his first stick of wood yet" in NW Arkansas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Old 11 oz. is now on order and should be in a week or two. I will be adding the new fabric in a few weeks. Have to stock up on several other things so it has to wait a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncleralph Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Did you shrink the new fabric? Or isn't that test really necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I didn't try it but according the Manufacturer, everything they make uses pre-shrunk fibers plus the very tight weave of the fabric I don't expect it to shrink any. Most times when a fabric is shrunk, it will loosen up over time anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotlon Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Jeff, do you get the sense that it will stitch up as "drum tight" as the 11 oz seems to do, without too many pull holes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Jeff, do you get the sense that it will stitch up as "drum tight" as the 11 oz seems to do, without too many pull holes? Yes. The weave is at least as tight, maybe a little tighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 All the calling an emailing and just pestering the crap out of salespeople has paid off in a odd way. I tried to get samples from one company for almost two years now. No joke!! I would go through my list and see I had not heard from them and shoot them another email. Almost wrote them off but it paid off today. Looks like I have scored a few thousand yards of a fabric that is almost identical to the loose weave 8 oz fabric. It was made with the wrong yarn and will not meet their clients Quality Control so it was rejected. Now they have no one that wants it and they want it gone! . I need to do the stretch, staple, sew, shrink, and seal test just to verify it works the same as what I sell. If so I will be able to sell it a much better price than the current 8 oz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 It all works out in the end. If it ain't worked out yet, you ain't at the end. Very good news, as I really would prefer a lighter cloth, because I'm a weirdo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotlon Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Sounds like a very nice score for persistency, Jeff! Thumbs way up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorSteve Posted July 28, 2015 Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Jeff, are you going to get in any of the new 6 oz. polyester material? It sounded pretty good. Is it still capable of being shrunk with an iron?? Thanks for the reply. Regards, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 Jeff, are you going to get in any of the new 6 oz. polyester material? It sounded pretty good. Is it still capable of being shrunk with an iron?? I am going to get some of it but I am not sure when. But I doubt it will have much, if any shrinkage. But with the tight weave you can sew it on tight to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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