The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Louise Gaunt on November 22, 2014, 02:01:24 pm
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I am thinking if asking my OH for some wool combs for Christmas. I have an alpaca fleece I bought some time ago that needs preparation, and it am likely to get Zwarbles fleece from my nephew. What type of combs would be suitable, bearing in mind I am looking at a fairly limited budget? Thanks.
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Hi Louise,
Do you know anyone locally that cards and spins wool? You may be able to get advice/help from them.
If you live near to Ludlow, Shropshire, I would happily show you how to use hand carder or a drum carder. Plus there is a carder manufacturer in Bridgnorth.
SV
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Err - SV, Louise wants combs not carders.
Combs can be very expensive (I know, I got mine from Canada and they cost a bomb). Winghams does their own brand but I'm not sure where they fit on the budget map.
I prefer combs which have one fixed comb clamped to the table, plus a second hand held one.
The less expensive combs are both hand held, so presumably they need a different technique to use.
Have a look at some of the Youtube clips of people using wool combs to see which looks closest to what you want.
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Thanks both. I have had a look at the Wingham ones, the mini hand held may be the way I go, as I don't want to commit to huge expenditure in case I do t get in with combing..
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Louise, you really must try a few types, they are all so very different.
I have wee Louet 2-row mini combs, and love them to bits. You can't comb much fibre at a time, but they weigh nothing, are balanced perfectly for my hands so I can use them for hours without getting tired. And I can spin directly from them too. But some people really don't like them, find them not robust enough.
Next up in size is the Majacraft. These can be used in the hand or with one clamped to a table, and are not too heavy but much more robust than the Louets. But I don't like them, I find them unbalanced in my hands so I am having to work just to hold them flat.
Next is the Valkyrie range. There are three called 'mini' combs but which are much much bigger than the Majacrafts. 'Fine' are for coarser fibres; 'Extra Fine' for anything that isn't extremely coarse and isn't incredibly fine and 'Superfine' for the very very finest fibres - bunny, merino, cormo, etc. Each can have one row or two rows of tines, I think. You can use them in the hand, and in my hands they feel beautifully balanced so that is less work than using the much smaller Majacrafts, but I would need to clamp one to the table to use them for any length of time. Then they have 'Viking' combs, which are bigger again, nearly the size of full English combs.
I am not sure which of the Valkyries you would want for alpaca - Ravelry user Trencherwork wrote a comprehensive review of all the Valkyrie combs for a wide range of fibres, here (http://www.rhonna.net/reviews/valkyrie-wool-combs)
Valkyrie combs are imported, the importer is Donna, aka WidowTwankey on Ravelry.
I haven't seen FW's Forsyths, but I think they are probably similar size to the Valkyrie Vikings, or maybe a little bigger
Finally there are the full-size English Wool Combs. Tremendous capability, make the most delicious slivers, but are big beasts and take rather a lot of arm-power to use. I can't manage them at the mo, with a gammy shoulder. The original make was Peter Teal, you can sometimes get these 2nd hand, or Winghams make new ones to Peter Teal's original design.
If you look at Winghams' Wool Combs page (http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/31-wool-combs), you will see that they also make some 'mini combs', which can be used in the hand or clamped, and some 'hand combs'. I haven't seen or used either of these. Reading the dimensions, I'd say the hand combs are similar in overall size to the Louets but have much thicker tines, so would not be as good for other than fairly coarse fibres. Confusingly they describe them as Viking combs, which name is used for the largest of the Valkyries! :-\
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Sally, you have encapsulated all my different views there ! I think I shall start with some hand held mink combs and see how I get on. I like the sound of the Louet 2 row minis as I have small hands and I'm not sure I could manaage full size English combs.
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Just followed the link to Winghams. They're not cheap are they? I think I'll be sticking to my drum carder.
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Hi
Thank you Fleecewife, Until today, I had not come across combs only cards.
SV
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Hi
Thank you Fleecewife, Until today, I had not come across combs only cards.
SV
Combs are great for certain fleeces, and for worsted yarn, but many cost a bomb. Mine came from Canada and I had a whole load of problems importing them. Once I set my mind on something there's no changing it, so I had to sit it out. I love the things now, although they do look like an instrument of torture :o
I had gone for many years without even contemplating combs, so you're not the only one :)
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Hi Fleecewife
Had a look on youtube, I see what you mean,
Thank you
"Maybe" I need a set of combs
SV
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Hi Fleecewife
Had a look on youtube, I see what you mean,
Thank you
"Maybe" I need a set of combs
SV
This section of TAS is very bad for the bank balance :roflanim:
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I can't get over how dear they are! Has anyone found any good substitutes (I can't help thinking some of them look like a row of nails banged through a plank :-). I am quite pleased with my teeny cat brush as a flick carder...... I was wondering about a strong metal Afro comb?
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A dog comb is a perfectly usable alternative - I've a very experienced friend uses little else, and she gets through quite a bit of fleece. You can do less at a time, is all, and it doesn't work for the very short fibres (like Castlemilk Moorit.) But for fleece with a staple length of 4" plus, a dog comb works fine.
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I can't help thinking some of them look like a row of nails banged through a plank :-).
Well, that's basically what they are, yes. But nails of the right diameter, and smooth and strong, with a slight bend at the tips to allow the two-handed action, and set at the right distance apart to handle fibres of the appropriate thickness ;)
The Peter Teal type aren't rounded tines, either, they are an elipse in cross-section, which allows them to slice through the fibres even more deftly than the rounded-tine type.
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A dog comb is a perfectly usable alternative - I've a very experienced friend uses little else, and she gets through quite a bit of fleece. You can do less at a time, is all, and it doesn't work for the very short fibres (like Castlemilk Moorit.) But for fleece with a staple length of 4" plus, a dog comb works fine.
Unless you have any tendency to RSI. I wrecked my thumb joints using dog combs :( This is the reason I like combs where one is clamped to a table, then the other comb can be wielded with two hands and no strain on the thumbs.
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Ah. Good point. Sorry about your thumbs joints, FW. :bouquet:
I guess, as with any activity using the hands, short periods of activity and then a rest, or at least a change of activity, is advisable.
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Ah. Good point. Sorry about your thumbs joints, FW. :bouquet:
I guess, as with any activity using the hands, short periods of activity and then a rest, or at least a change of activity, is advisable.
Yes, good advice......just don't replace combing with using a heavy rotavator ::) I alternated the two for several weeks a number of years ago now and my thumbs still play up sometimes. Here are some thumbs - :thumbsup: for the ones I've damaged :roflanim:
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Hi Fleecewife
I have just spun my finest thread to date, it looks like a fine sewing thread, It makes my normal DK look like rope.
Having looked at the utube videos, I used a carder/hair comb, then used the carder like a Hackle, wow!!!!
Thank you.
SV
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To follow up on my original post, OH didn't buy me wool combs, but a lovely electric blue suede handbag! So, with a recent tax rebate I treted myself to some Wingham hand held mini combs. They can be clamped to a table to have one static one, but I need to buy some clamps to do that. They arrived yesterday, and I have spent part if this morning taming some very knotty, disordered alpaca. I am getting the hang of combing, I think, and find the combs comfortable to use. I will keep you posted with how I am progressing!
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Glad you got your combs eventually and the electric blue suede hambag sounds fab. Send it this way when you get tired of it ;D
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Could we have an update if you have time please?
Are you still pleased with them?
Did you try them clamped to a table?
What fibres are you using them on?
thank you.
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I am combing alpaca and some wool I acquired with my first wheel I don't know what it is, but it has a small amount of crimp and a staple length of about 3 inches (I think, haven't actually measured the length!). It combs out to be lovely and smooth and spins well. I haven't tried them clamped to the table yet, that will happen when I have a bit more room on my work table - it us covered in tomato plants at the moment! I am hoping I might be able to buy some more fleece at Wonder wool, so can tell you more after that.
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Thank you.
I'm trying to decide which combs to buy.
Where do you live and what kind of fleece are you after. I have shetland sheep and mohair.
Do you know which day you're going to wonderwool?
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I am interested in any suitable fleece. As a relatively new spinner I am still trying out different types to,see what I like best. I live in South Devon, and I am hoping to go to Wonderwool on he Saturday.
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I will be there on the Sat too :thumbsup:
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And me. :D :D :D
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Lesley, I thought you wern't able to go?
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Lesley, just seen your other post so I know you are going now. Did you know that the cottage you are staying in is only about 10 mins from me?
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Yes, I did, Sally ,because we visited Linda last year when we stayed in Mandy's cottage. Maybe we can meet up this year. I'm bringing my wheel. I did quite a lot of spinning last year in the garden at Mandy and Derek's place.
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If you are interested you could come with me to our spinning group on the Tuesday afternoon.
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Hi Sally and Lesley, I am definitely going to Wonderwool on Saturday, tickets have been bought! Shall we try to meet for coffee at some point during the day?
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I'm up for that. Last year the quietest place was the 3rd shed so it might be good to meet there.
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Sounds good. I will pm you both with my phone number, and we can fix s time to meet up!
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That would be great. I met Sally at Wonderwool the year before last. I'll PM my number as well. Sally, is the third shed labelled as such? I can't remember the layout.
If you are interested you could come with me to our spinning group on the Tuesday afternoon.
I'd love to if OH doesn't mind. He usually likes a nap in the afternoon anyway. :spin:
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I think the third shed is labeled as the third shed. It's across the way from the other two which are attached so easy to tell which one it is.
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Sounds pretty idiot proof. Are there refreshments in there?
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yes there are and last year it was quieter in there. Have arranged 2pm meet with Louise.
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She suggested 3pm but 2pm might be better and we can all meet at the same time.
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Lesley, 3pm was her suggestion to me but I asked for 2pm. Hopefully thats ok for you. I suggest we meet at the coffee stand in hall 3.
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Coffee stand, shed three, two pm is fine by me. See you both soon.
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I'm still hoping to come but won't know till near the time as I've got a ewe due sometime between the 10th and 25th.
So I might join you if that's ok.
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Hope you can. It would be good to see you again.
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Gutted I can't make it to Wonderwool - though OH is probably heaving a sigh of relief at reduced pressure on the wallet! Hope you all have a lovely time- post back to say how you got on! I will be going to Fibre East in July if anyone is planning to go there? It's at Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
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That's a shame. I doubt I'll make Fibre East as well.
OH has opted to stay behind so there's no one to watch what I spend. :excited: :excited: