String 2

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Site Contents

By Leslie Hunt

Many kinds of string are recommended for kite flying, but unless one is entering a tournament or preparing for some special kite event, no difficulty should be had in finding suitable string.  The heaviest carpet and button thread are good for smaller kites, while common white carpet warp or a good grade of wrapping twine will serve for those herein described.  Medium-laid 12-cord seine twine is the best for general flying, but it can be had only in pound hanks and is not often found in the smaller towns. 

Good seine twine of this size will carry 10 pounds safely and will run 100 feet to the ounce.  Twentyfour cord seine twine is strong enough for all but professional flying.  If you are to use seine twine, be sure to get the medium laid.  Soft laid does not stand the constant strain, and hard laid ravels too readily.

Some kite fliers wax their string.  The string is not made stronger by the waxing, but, perhaps, it is made a little more durable and less liable to damage should it become wet.  Waxing should be done carefully or difficulties will arise in winding and unwinding.  The best way to wax a kite string is to let it run lightly over a piece of paraffin wax or candle a number of times instead of trying to wax it all at once.  A very slight greasy feel to the clean hands is enough.  This amount of waxing preserves the string, lessens the friction of the wind, and adds but little to the weight.

Linen shoe thread may be used as kite string if waxed, but I do not like it, since it is so sharp and firm that it is a punishment to handle it very long at a time even with a reel.  Silk makes a wonderful kite string for a few minutes, but the fibers of silk slip past each other so easily that a continued pull soon causes the string to break.

Wire is sometimes mentioned by professional kite fliers.  Without special equipment, wire is dangerous, even where there is no likelihood of getting tangled with electric circuits.  The electrical condition of the atmosphere, even on clear days, is such that severe shocks may be given the flier if a wire line is used.  I have received uncomfortable shocks by using a wet string and standing on an insulated stool; that is, I received the shock when I stepped off the stool. 

Should you desire to send up an aerial for radio work, keep the wire grounded until you are ready to connect it to your set.  Then ground it before disconnecting and you will have no trouble.  It is hoped that no one will be so foolish as to try to repeat Benjamin Franklin's experiment.  The greatest marvel of his experiment is that he was not killed.

It must not be inferred that kite flying is dangerous.  It is not.  But discretion must be observed in using wires or electrical equipment.

25 Kites That Fly