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Carding

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—Carding is best for short to medium length fibers and is specifically called for in prepping fiber for “woolen” spinning.
—Carders separate and align fibers, but do not screen out second cuts or VM.
Flick Carder (or dog brush)
  • —Remove veg and second cuts, dry tips, etc.
  • —Good for spinning from the lock., or prep for drum carding
  • —Also good for cleaning drum carder!
Hand Cards
Hand Cards

Hand Cards

  • —Make rolags to spin woollen-style!
  • —Use hand card as burnishing tool for drum carder.

 

 

Drum Carder

  • —Many  styles available, hand turned or motorized.
  • —Very important to have adjusted properly for transfer of fiber between drum and ease of turning.
  • —Drums should be about an index card thickness apart.
  • —Try to keep fiber out of axles.
  • —Longer fibers can sometimes wrap around small drum and be difficult to remove. (may need to cut)
  • —Can use hand card as burnishing tool, to smooth batt.
Drum Carder
Drum Carder

Combing

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—Viking combs:
2 pitch Viking Combs
2 pitch Viking Combs

One or two rows of curved tines.

Can be used one against the other (one in each hand), or with one mounted on a base (fastened to a table or some other object).
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English combs:
5 Pitch English Combs
5 Pitch English Combs
Two or more rows of straight tines.
One comb must be mounted in clamp to a table, and the other is worked against it to transfer fiber from the stationary comb to the moving one.
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—Mini combs:
significantly smaller and lighter than English combs.
Designed for hand use with small amounts of fiber.
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—Budget option:

Other Thoughts

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—Or, you can spin right from the comb. This is mostly done in Eastern Europe from paddle shaped combs.
—Heck, you can spin right from the lock if you want!
—You don’t even have to wash it first, if you like to work “in the grease”.
—You have complete control.
That’s the beauty of it.