The designation "Thread thickness: 18/5" for linen thread is a common way to indicate thickness within the textile industry, especially for linen thread.
Here's what the numbers mean:
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18 (before the slash): This number refers to the thickness of the individual threads (plies) that are spun together. It's a "linen count" system, where a higher number actually indicates a thinner individual thread. Specifically, it means that a certain number of 300-yard lengths of the single thread weigh one pound. The higher the number, the more 300-yard lengths are needed to reach one pound, thus a thinner thread.
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5 (after the slash): This number indicates how many individual threads (plies) are twisted together to form the finished thread. In this case, there are five separate threads twisted together.
How many mm is that?
Directly converting from this designation to precise millimeters can vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and spinning density, but general guidelines exist.
Based on common conversions for Barbour or similar linen thread, a linen thread with the designation 18/5 is typically around 0.78 mm in thickness (diameter).
Why?
This type of designation system is historical and based on the weight and length of the yarn (linen count), rather than a direct diameter in millimeters. To understand the total thickness, you must consider both the thickness of the individual threads and the number of them twisted together. The more individual threads (plies) that are twisted together, the thicker the final thread becomes, even if the individual threads are relatively thin (as indicated by the first number, 18).
So, in essence: 18/5 means a thread made of 5 plies, where each of the 5 plies has a specific fineness (18). This results in a relatively strong linen thread of approximately 0.78 mm.
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| Origin | Hungary |
| Quality | 1 sorting |
| Title | Type | Size | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbours-Linen-Datasheet-2013-02_tcm35-17881.pdf | 117.22KB | Download | |
| Shadecard-Linen-Thread-Leatherhouse.pdf | 148.21KB | Download |
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