How to dress vintage bait casting / spinning line?

[Mole-Patrol]

I recently acquired an old bait casting reel probably dating from the late 40's / 50's and it came loaded with what I think might be braided cotton line. This line looks not to have been used and is in its natural state. Does anyone know what sort of oil or dressing was applied to this type of line to prevent it rotting?

Thanks in advance.

[Olly]

The line initially to me - looks like fly line backing - if it is the Elarex you recently bought with the photo on here.

Any braid both modern or ancient is made up of several strands - the line looks although plastic coated from the photos.

[Mole-Patrol]

No, it is limp cotton (or similar) braid, not a modern synthetic fly backing and has no coating at all. It fills the spool leaving no room for any more line so I don't think that it is backing.

I know that Hardy did a braid line for salmon and pike fishing that was about three times thicker than mono' of the same strength and thought that it might be that or something like it.

[Olly]

I think the end of the line split into sections/threads would show it better. A small section dissected perhaps?

There were such things as Terylene, Dacron and other twines/braids. "Cuttyhunk"?? was one I have heard of and, at aged 11, Luron was just coming onto the market where I lived. So one of these was my first fishing line - but far from tangle free!

Hardy made 'line dryers' for silk lines - and probably other twines. I refer to a 1938 Farlows catalogue for "Spinning lines" where HERON silk waterproofed lines can be found. -- -"" - occasionally rubbed down with our special line "dope" they withstand hard wear"". Later I find "Farlow's dope for lines @ 1/- per tin.

They did undressed and wax-dressed lines for spinning.

[Mole-Patrol]

It isn't a synthetic fibre. It is a natural fibre. Not silk, but either cotton or very similar, soft, white, dull textured, round profile thread with no coating.

[Olly]

Flax? Cotton? Whatever it is - it is weaved/woven but not solid!

I used 60lb terylene lines for catfish hook lengths before the 'new' braid was invented!

[Mole-Patrol]

Olly, all this is very interesting but it doesn't get us any further.

I am aware of the differing construction of thread as I used to work in textiles, and I know that this thread isn't terylene. It isn't plaited and it isn't flat in profile. It is round. There are all sorts of preparations listed including propriety ones and home made remedies. What I am asking is does anyone know what best to use to dress a vintage spinning line?

[Olly]

Well there some old books/catalogues that say how! But surely you need to know what it is you need to treat!

[Santiago]

I suggest testing the breaking strain before thinking about using it. Old organic based line, even if not used, could well have deteriated over time, because the fibres might have been oxidised by the air.

[Mole-Patrol]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've already done that. The end of the line tests to over 12lb which is fine for me. All I need now is a spectrometer to find out what it is or isn't