Boning with reeds - a few questions

[frualeydis]

To those who have boned corsets with reeds:
I wonder if there's something you should do with the reeds before using them?
I bought the thinner of Grannd Garb's flat oval reeds. They are currently in a coil, how do you make them straight?
Should smoothen the ends with sand paper?

I think they are thick enough to only have one per channel, but what is your experience?

Comments

[peronel.livejournal.com]

I've never done it, but I have a few reeds tucked by to experiment with, so would be grateful for any info you can share once you've used them.

[guyelfkin.livejournal.com]

My advise from observing a reeded corset made by a friend of mine some years ago is to wax the reeds before you put them in the corset - to help preventing them getting too dry and brittle

Several of the reeds my friend used have snapped.

Teddy

[jauncourt.livejournal.com]

Something that also helps is to steam it periodically. Keeps the reeds' humidity more normal (like periodically washing baskets keeps them from spintering).

[dame-eleanor.livejournal.com]

I have made three corsets using reeds, but they are the small, round ones, 2.75mm in diameter. I generally fill the tub with warm water and give them a bit of soak, to relax and straighten them. Then, I hang them over the shower curtain rod, and give them several days to dry. They don't go completely straight, but straight enough, and they reform themselves anyway once they are in the channels.

This might be a little more complicated with wider, flatter, oval reeds, as I feel they might be stiffer...?

Yes, I definitely sand all the ends, to help prevent sharp ends, and fretting. So far, none poking through, and no fretting, so I guess it was worth the extra effort.

guyelfkin's idea of waxing the reeds, might be a good idea...I just have never tried it, or found it necessary. The reeds I am using are fairly flexible, and I have never had one break through wear. Hope this helps.

Good luck!

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the advice. Soaking reeds will be the next project then.
In the weekend probably. On tonight's sewing meeting I can knit on my gigantic white tudor beret.

Eva

[dame-eleanor.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome dear! Hope it works well for you. Can't wait to see piccies of the gigantic white Tudor beret!

[myladyswardrobe.livejournal.com]

I haven't used reed but the cane I had from Ninya was in a coil. I turned them round so the "curve" of the cane was away from my body - flat side "facing" out and the curved side "facing" in and then the channels themselves held the cane straight. I sanded the ends of mind but waxing sounds a good idea too!

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

That's how I do it when I use plastic boning on a coil.
I will make a try before soaking them I think.

Eva

[tonyadmay.livejournal.com]

One thing I did, which has nothing to do with straightening, was to quickly file the edges of each of the ends a little to make the spots where I had cut them a little more blunt. I was hoping the rounded ends wouldn't be as tempted to poke me or work through the fabric or binding like I had read of happening to some other people. So far so good - I haven't ever felt the edges of any of them.