Linen thread

Images and text by Garry Harrison,
Head, Circulating Collections Conservation,
Indiana University Libraries Preservation Department

Linen thread

Linen thread is used in most repairs. We have two types, Irish and Swedish, and 18-gauge examples of each are shown. Both are workhorse threads for general work here in our lab. The Irish linen is a hard thread; the Swedish linen is softer though approximately equal in tensile strength. The meanings of the terms "hard" and "soft" threads are evident in the illustration.

(Note: The terms "Irish" and "Swedish" are given only as the names by which these threads are called by our suppliers. The qualities of threads by the same names from other suppliers may or may not be consistent with the information given here.)

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