Cavechat.org

So both my "good" caving pants have some big nasty holes in them and I've started working on sewing them shut using fishing line. Has anyone tried fishing line before and is it a pretty good material to use? Or is there some other inexpensive and easy to find thread that will hold up well.

polyester thread..................

Nylon thread will work fine, too. The thicker the thread, the more durable. Upholstery thread, available where ever thread is sold, is about the heaviest that will go thru a normal machine. If you have or can get a sewing awl, available on line or at many outdoors shops, they use a very thick thread. Sort of like thin cord. You can even sew, if you know how, life supporting webbing harnesses with a sewing awl. That said, if you are repairing a high-wear spot on pants, it doesn't matter what type or size of thread you use if the thread is not protected. You can cover it with SeamGrip, but it will wear off eventually. The best option is to put on a patch that is thick enough to let the threads/stitches sink down into patch material. The stitches kind of hide in the patch material. Be creative and don't give up. It can be done.

I've sewn up small holes I keep getting in my cavepants with poly thread (it's actually upholstery stuff, uber thick hah) just by hand with a hidden stitch. Because I suck at using sewing machines, hand stitching FTW! I use a hidden stitch so it's not on the outside to snag. My cavepants are basically yoga pants (for "cold weather yoga" whatever that means, they're just like thick extrawarm polypro, basically) and they just tend to get a bit sliced on sharper rock edges so this seems to work so far. I can take a photo if you want to see =)

Thanks for the input guys. I generally too lazy to go out and buy stuff though so I'll see how the fishing line holds up. Hopefully soon I'll just get one of them fancy yellow coverall suits.

For patching cave clothing, either nylon or polyester thread will work; as long as you don't use cotton. (For nylon webbing, you should use nylon thread.) Fishing line is not suitable for machine sewing. Machines with a rotary hook put a twist in every stitch. If you backstitch or sew over a previously sewn row of stitches, the needle can pierce and break braided fishing line. Sewing thread is always twisted.

I use cotton-polyester coveralls. When they are new, I run parallel rows of stitching over the back pockets so they don't get ripped off and they will provide some abrasion resistance in the seat. The thread lays on top of the fabric and gets worn off in most areas.

Some rules I try to stick to:
As soon as a hole forms, FIX IT. Otherwise it will continue to grow, and obviously it's easier to stitch a small hole than a large one.
After stitching, put some sort of sealer over top to protect the stitching and strengthen the repair.

Most kinds of thread are easy to find and are inexpensive. I would not use fishing line because of its elastic nature, but it's up to you.

Well luckily machines are not a problem since I am doing everything by hand. The only sewing machine in my house is a foot pedal operated Singer from 1904, and all the belts are broken anyway.

I use dental floss for cave related sewing , not sure how that works on a machine. It is strong , cheap and easy to find anywhere. I have hand sewn foot pieces and other non life support ropewalker items in the past and never had a problem. Also patching on jeans ect.

Dental floss is just plain fantastic for everything, especially when it's Zappa brand floss from Montana.

Cody JW wrote:I use dental floss for cave related sewing , not sure how that works on a machine.

The lightest nylon sewing thread I have seen is heavier than the heaviest dental floss.

Dental floss comes in small packages, not even enough to fill a single bobbin.