")
Gut is made from silkworms; but the scrapings of the membrane in the
manufacture of catgut (see "Sinew-thread") Make a fine, strong, and
somewhat transparent thread: twisted horsehair can almost always be
obtained: and boiling this in soap-lees, takes away its oiliness.
Shoemakers' Wax is made by boiling together common resin and any kind of
soft grease, which does not contain salt, such as oil or butter. A sixth
or seventh part of pitch makes it more tough, but it is not absolutely
necessary for making the wax. Try if the quantity of grease is sufficient
by dipping the stick with which the wax is stirred, into water to cool
it. When the wax is supposed to be successfully made, pour it into water,
then taking it out while yet soft, pull it and stretch it with your wet
hands as much as it will bear; do this over and over again, after dipping
it in lukewarm water, till it is quite tough. Wax is used of different
degrees of hardness, according as the weather is warm or cold.
Reel. If you have no reel, make a couple of gimlet-holes, six inches
apart, in the butt of your rod, at the place where the reel is usually
clamped; drive wooden pegs into these, and wind your spare line round
them, as in fig. 1.
[Fig 1: illustration as described above].
The pegs should not be quite square with the butt, but should slope a
little, each away from the other, that the line may be better retained on
them.
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