Removing Sharp Edges from Plastic Boning
Posted on Sunday, August 14th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Just another Tips &Tricks
Skill Level: Beginner
Niceness: Ugly
Pros: Easy, Super Fast
Cons: Smelly
Best For: Speed Sewing
Skill Level: Beginner
Niceness: Ugly
Pros: Easy, Super Fast
Cons: Smelly
Best For: Speed Sewing
I’ve been a huge fan of jumbo plastic cable ties as corset boning for a long time. The only real downside to them is that they can get sharp corners when you cut them, and those corners will eat through fabric over time. I used to file them down with a nail-file, but that takes time. There’s a faster, easier way….
The problem: the cut edge of my cable tie has pretty sharp corners, but I'm too lazy to file them down.
The solution: pass the edge of the boning through a candle flame.
The result: no more sharp corners. Sure, it's a little ugly, but it's hidden between layers of fabric...
Three things worth noting:
- if you’re doing a fully boned corset, this will shave an hour or so off your build time compared with filing all the darned corners.
- A rather intriguing odor is produced during the melting process, and probably equates to either the death of brain cells, or cancer in californian lab rats.
- The melted edge will remain very very hot for some time, so you don’t want to touch it. Trust me. I have learned this so that you don’t have to. ;)
Related posts:
You say “yard waste”, I say “free, eco-friendly corset boning”
Comparison of Different Boning Materials for Use in Sixteenth Century Corsetry
Holiday Sewing Practice!
Regency Corset Under Construction
Regency Corset Finished
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Hey Missa – I’ve missed you. Thanks for yet another timely tip!
Miss you too! Spring/summer got so crazy, and I have so missed blogging – crazy, right? :)
A simple but brilliant idea. Strangely coincidental that this was posted at the exact time I was snipping and filing ends of zip ties for my first ever attempt at a corset. :) But I’m already floating around ideas for another and this will be a real time saver. Thanks for posting it! Love your site!
I’m just about to start my first “proper” pair of bodies. Thanks for posting this before I started filing! :D
Great tip! Do you have a suggestion for how to actually cut these darned things? I’ve used scissors and it killed my hands.. is there a cheat? I was thinking wire cutters..
I use tin snips or cutting pliers… :) Hope that helps!