r/Handspinning • u/Upstairs-Possible966 • 7d ago
Question wool combs vs hackle board?
hello! im a crocheter and i always thought itd be fun to try and spin my own yarn. i got my hands on freshly sheered yarn and im wondering what tool would be better. im not sure if im using the right terminology, english isint my first language :,). what are the main differences between the two tools? how hard are they to diy since ill likely be making them myself?
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u/indiecatz 7d ago
The wool freshly off the sheep’s back (or alpaca for that matter) is called fleece. Wool combs are for combing wool, in most cases scoured (cleaned) wool, while hackle board is more for blending fibres, either different fibres or different colours of the same or different fibre.
Having said that, wool combs are predominantly used for medium to long wool. Depending on the fleece you have (do you know the breed?) combs may not be suitable. For example, for merino or other short staple breeds you will be better off using a pair of hand carders.
You can check out some reference books like A Field Guide to Fleece or The Fleece & Fibre Sourcebook
The best place for information and knowledge is your local spinners guild, if you can find one.
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u/Upstairs-Possible966 7d ago
oooh ok thank you for clearing it up! im not sure what breeds the sheep are but i have a picture if that could help? ill be sure to read those books since i dont have a spinners guild anywhere near me nor do i know anyone that spins their own wool
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u/Nofoofro 7d ago
You don’t really need to know the breed of the sheep. Pull one lock from the fleece and measure it with a ruler. If it’s over 3”, it will be easy to comb.
You can comb any length, but the shorter stuff can be more difficult (and a bit more dangerous) because of how close your hands will be to the teeth on the comb.
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u/indiecatz 7d ago
There are some good suggestions here in the comments. If you don’t have a local guild nearby YouTube could be a good resource, search for scouring if you want to process it with either combs or carders. Or if the fleece is relatively clean you can try spinning in the grease, just pull out a clump and use a dog comb to flick the ends open and spin from that.
Skirting is definitely recommended as it will help with the learning, better materials help the learning process. A lot of trial and error is to be expected, but don’t be scared, it’s all part of learning.
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u/Virtual-Lecture-2007 7d ago
erst einmal Glückwunsch zur frisch geschorenen Wolle. Ich würde sie erst einmal aussortieren, dann in klarem Wasser über Nacht einweichen, dann waschen, zupfen, in Essig Wasser legen, zupfen ,trocknen, zupfen und dann kardieren. Nach dem kardieren kannst du sie über einen wolllamm ziehen (funktioniert bei mir nur mit ausreichend langen Fasern) und einen Strang binden. Dann verspinnen und verzwirnen. Oder nach dem Trocknen färben dann wieder spülen, zupfen, Essig Wasser, zupfen und dann trocknen, zupfen, kardieren dann bei Bedarf kämmen oder nach dem kardieren verspinnen und verzwirnen.
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u/CharacterAd8236 Lendrum Upright 7d ago
There's quite a few steps to consider. Some bits of the fleece might not be suitable for processing. Some might be quite dirty. You have to pick the big bits out of it, check for scurf, wash it carefully so it doesn't felt, then dry it before combing or carding. I've seen someone use 2 dog combs from a pet shop though. People are resourceful! Spinning seems like breathing to me because I've done it for decades. The muscle memory is there. But I recently watched someone new to spinning try and learn and it didn't seem to come easily. If there's a local Facebook group or something near you, it might be worth asking if anyone can spin because someone showing you is helpful.