# Carding or combing



## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I am, of course, watching videos and I see that one person may card a fiber with carders and another person may comb the same type of fiber. Does something determine which you would use....carder or combs? Or, does either serve the same purpose but just preference? Thanks.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

I know that combs are used for making worested yarn. That is because combing aligns the fibres more than carding.


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

wordancer said:


> I know that combs are used for making worested yarn. That is because combing aligns the fibres more than carding.


I also go for combing with wool combs not the dog combs that some use. Combing aligns the fibres better than carding and it also removes all the odd bits of grass etc that is often in the fleece. Combs also remove the nasty bits on the exposed tips of the fleece. I like to prewash my fleece before combine because it is gentler on the combs. Some fibres need more combing other fibres need less combing. I have hand carders that I use for blending of different fibres. I do not like drum carders, they take too long to clean in my opinion.


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## Longtimer (May 23, 2013)

Whether or not to use combs also depends on the length of the fiber. Long fibers are best combed. Also combing is used for spinning worsted as someone has already mentioned. After combing, the fiber is drawn through a diz which makes a lovely long piece of roving. The short ends left from the combing can be carded and woolen spun.
There are several types of combs. English wool combs are huge and heavy. They are often combined with heat. I also have a small round combing device, paddle combs, and a free standing comb.
Susan's Fiber Shop, Columbus, Wisconsin has a large collection of combs and other fiber tools and books. Her shop is worth a look. 
Here are some pictures:
Round comb, part of a set of English wool combs, paddle combs, free standing comb.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

My goodness they look like they could hurt some one. lol They are nice.


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

mama879 said:


> My goodness they look like they could hurt some one. lol They are nice.


That's why mine are locked up. I don't want a child to find them and that includes my oldest child who's 65.


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## Cookie61868 (Sep 19, 2011)

I do both, depends on how smooth I want the fiber to be before spinning. Carding leaves some texture and combing makes a very smooth draw


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## Longtimer (May 23, 2013)

mama879 said:


> My goodness they look like they could hurt some one. lol They are nice.


Yes, they are nasty. Scratched myself getting one out to photograph. Keep them in boxes. Also have a wool picker that is very sharp. Actually it is built with a place for a lock I do keep the lock in place as it is dangerous for man and beast.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Knitted by Nan said:


> I do not like drum carders, they take too long to clean in my opinion.


A neat trick that a guy farm intern figured out last year. While rotating the drum, brush or hold a old hand carder/wire dog brush against it. It picks and pulls off all the fibre in a few seconds...minutes. Really in just a couple of minutes you can start carding the next color without having to worry that you have fibers of the old color showing up!


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies. Love seeing the pics and learning another part of working with fibers.


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## Longtimer (May 23, 2013)

wordancer said:


> A neat trick that a guy farm intern figured out last year. While rotating the drum, brush or hold a old hand carder/wire dog brush against it. It picks and pulls off all the fibre in a few seconds...minutes. Really in just a couple of minutes you can start carding the next color without having to worry that you have fibers of the old color showing up!


That's funny! I was always taught that's how you clean a drum carder. In fact my drum carder came with a doffer and tool with carding cloth on it just for that purpose.


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## nellig (May 10, 2016)

mama879 said:


> My goodness they look like they could hurt some one. lol They are nice.


I keep mine handy in case a burglar breaks in. I'm alone and haven't the faintest idea how to use a gun, but I know how to use combs. I suppose when I have to use a cane, that might be handy, too. Don't play golf, don't have fireplace tools, gave up stiletto heels some years ago. Guess combs will do for now. Of course, I use them for my wool as well. I do like dual purpose tools.


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## nellig (May 10, 2016)

A PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT
Oh, by the way. As a former nurse, please make sure your tetanus shot is up to date. When you are playing with sharp instruments, and parts of the barnyard, it's a good idea. My nurse practitioner gave me a funny look when I said I played with sharp tools, but she gave me the shot anyway.
Oh, and if by chance (I sure hope not), you do need to go to the ED, take the offending tool with you. They'll never figure it out by description.
SORRY--my training said I had to say this.


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## RetiredPacaMama (May 2, 2016)

I was always told to use combs for very long fibers like some wools.


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

nellig said:


> A PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT
> Oh, by the way. As a former nurse, please make sure your tetanus shot is up to date. When you are playing with sharp instruments, and parts of the barnyard, it's a good idea. My nurse practitioner gave me a funny look when I said I played with sharp tools, but she gave me the shot anyway.
> Oh, and if by chance (I sure hope not), you do need to go to the ED, take the offending tool with you. They'll never figure it out by description.
> SORRY--my training said I had to say this.


Ditto for those of us who do needle felting. Those little buggers are sharp and foam pads don't come thick enough to always stop them.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

nellig said:


> I keep mine handy in case a burglar breaks in. I'm alone and haven't the faintest idea how to use a gun, but I know how to use combs. I suppose when I have to use a cane, that might be handy, too. Don't play golf, don't have fireplace tools, gave up stiletto heels some years ago. Guess combs will do for now. Of course, I use them for my wool as well. I do like dual purpose tools.


It sounds like you are prepared for all things. Another use for the combs. Lol


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## nellig (May 10, 2016)

mousepotato said:


> Ditto for those of us who do needle felting. Those little buggers are sharp and foam pads don't come thick enough to always stop them.


You are so right.


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## Knitted by Nan (Aug 3, 2013)

mousepotato said:


> Ditto for those of us who do needle felting. Those little buggers are sharp and foam pads don't come thick enough to always stop them.


I use a very thick sponge pad that my son purchased to wash his car. It is about 6 inches thick. I place it on a board on the table and always needle felt standing up. I have misjudged with the needles though and jabbed right through my finger and out again before I realised what I had done.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Knitted by Nan said:


> I use a very thick sponge pad that my son purchased to wash his car. It is about 6 inches thick. I place it on a board on the table and always needle felt standing up. I have misjudged with the needles though and jabbed right through my finger and out again before I realised what I had done.


Ouch


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## mousepotato (May 30, 2011)

Cdambro said:


> Ouch


Yup. And then some.


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## TERIGODMOTHER (Sep 30, 2014)

Those combs are really different. I'd like to see that round one in action and the one on the bottom. I can't visualize how either of them work. I have a set of Valkyrie fines my DH bought me at Rhinebeck last year. Illness and a move to a new state meant I never used them until last month or so. I absolutely love the way they work. With no diz I just pulled the fiber off into strips.


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## fairislewanabe (Jan 14, 2015)

It has been nice for me to comb wool in the evening while watching tv. That is when I start to make many knitting mistakes and my spinning gets uneven! But combing for the next day's spinning works well then.


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## spinningjennie (Jul 30, 2012)

For long fibres I prefer to use a flick carder. I wind the staple round my finger flick the tips then turn round and flick the butt end. This take out the short fibres and any tender tips are removed. I then place the locks in a basket with them all going the same way.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

The actual directions I had for learning to use Viking combs started out with getting a tetanus shot.

There are a lot of factors in deciding to use carders or combs.

Combs tend to align fibers more precisely, so they're good if you want a worsted preparation. They also work better for longer fibers. But combs tend to separate fibers. If you have a fleece from a sheep that's double coated, you will tend to separate the outer coat from the inner coat. That's fine if that's what you want to do.

Cards tend to leave the fibers looser, fluffier, and better for woolen spinning. Cards are also good because they work with short fibers like cotton, which would be difficult, if not impossible, if you tried to use combs on them.

To spun some Spelsau fleece, I prepared it on cards. The staple was really _way_ too long to prepare easily on cards, but I wanted to keep the two coats together. It worked out really beautifully for what I wanted to do.


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## fairislewanabe (Jan 14, 2015)

Is the wool ready to spin after your flicking? Is it good for woolen draw?


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## spinningjennie (Jul 30, 2012)

Yes the wool is ready to spin after being flicked. Being a long staple wool it is not suitable to be spun woollen which requires a short staple, but you can spin from the fold over your finger and then you would get a semi-worsted spin yarn. I spin the staple from the butt end trying to keep the fibres aligned for a smooth yarn.


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## fairislewanabe (Jan 14, 2015)

Thanks! Interesting and useful info!


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