QLD
1451 posts
Hello
Good Bye
ive noticed on one of my kites leading edges theres a small section where the white zig zag thread has broken and theres about a 2 cm length of it missing. this will inevitably get bigger and more of a problem with the more pumping and possible droping of the kite.
as it is theres no point in sending it to the repairs to get it restitched. what sort of glue can or could i use to slow or stop this unthreading.
i imagine this happens all the time from self launching and over pumping. why can i only find leading edge damage on google that looks like a shark has had its way with it. anyways hopefully someone has come across this before and knows a good fix.
NSW
1100 posts
i'd get it stitched before it blows out and your kite looks like the one's on google
QLD
1451 posts
any idea what type of thread it is that needs to be used i imagine its not cotton
WA
3271 posts
Haven't you got any sail repairers in your area? if you don't know what you are doing get it professionally repaired for a few dollars and you won't have to worry whether it will fail and won't damage your resale value.
VIC
119 posts
Any sailing or marine shop should have "splicing" twine, it's just about the strongest thread you can buy and has a coating so it won't rot. Then just use a big needle and hand stitch that small section, I'd probably just put a drop of superglue over the old thread to stop it coming undone more
QLD
701 posts
^^^^^no no no don't put superglue on it as this will make it ,stiching material brittel and break had some spilt on a pair of jeans and after 2 months it was a great hole in them from this . Take it to a repairer or if doing your self make sure your needel gose in the same holes don't make new holes with needel it will weaken it and POP gose the bladder . As a desperate messure the old dental floss worked for me till I got it to a repairer .
VIC
5127 posts
I had a kite do that and took it back to the shop. They had the local sail maker sew it and return it the same day for no charge.
The correct thread to sew a kite is called bonded polyester. You can find it on ebay by searching for "Dabond". You normally use V92 thread. The V number is the thickness. Higher numbers are thicker.
If you can't/won't get dabond then normal thick polyester is ok.
Polyester is rougher than nylon thread so it won't pull through or slip. The "bonded" bit means it has UV inhibitors in it so it won't perish. I bought the end of a spool from a sailmaker for $20. There's enough there for a lifetime of kite repairs.
QLD
1451 posts
hay everyone thanks heaps for the info etc. especially the info on the thread specifics. im currently in airlie beach so im sure ill find a sail maker or repairer but i really think hes going to want to charge me a fortune if hes gotto take the bladder out etc.... or do i do that before i give it to him?
would like to do this myself one day tho and pack a little janome mini with me in my kite bag when i go abroad. amount of broken kites ive seen with only the tailor 3 villages south who only has cotton thread. it could pay for a hell of alot of arack
