frag_hag ([info]frag_hag) wrote in [info]corsetmakers,
@ 2005-03-14 18:51:00
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Current mood: sick
Entry tags:materials

Bulk buying question
Now I'm guessing some of you buy spring steel in bulk since I saw discussion on how to cut it in the memories. What I don't know is where you get it from. I've looked around some of the suppliers I've read about here and I can only see pre-cut lengths listed. Is it hidden away somewhere, listed separately? Or do only some suppliers sell it in bulk?
Your help much appreciated as ever :)


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[info]linuxwitch
2005-03-14 06:26 am UTC (link)
Here's one place:

http://store.corsetmaking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=BONING&Store_Code=CMS

Just gotta dig around on the different sites.

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[info]linuxwitch
2005-03-14 06:27 am UTC (link)
Grannd Garb also has spring steel by the yard

http://www.grannd.com/Merchant2/

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[info]auroraceleste
2005-03-14 06:30 am UTC (link)
http://store.corsetmaking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=BONING&Store_Code=CMS

Scroll down past the pictures, the first thing listed below is this:

Continuous Spiral Steel Boning
Sold in rolls of 10 continuous yards so that you can cut your own exact lengths! Available in 1/2" and 1/4" widths.

You will want to check out the "boning tips"
necessary to cap this boning, and the "Bone Cutter"
both shown below.

1/2" is $10 and 1/4" is $8.

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D'oh!
[info]frag_hag
2005-03-14 06:37 am UTC (link)
I knew I would feel like an idiot when you pointed it out. I'm blaming my fuzzy brain on this rotten cold I have.
Thanks a bunch.

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Re: D'oh!
[info]frag_hag
2005-03-14 06:56 am UTC (link)
Fuzziness upon fuzziness! OK, I wasn't quite as dumb as I thought - I saw the spiral steel you've linked to on corsetmaking.com before. Found the spring steel at grannd.com though so that'll do. Thanks again.

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[info]eriss
2005-03-14 09:35 am UTC (link)
Greenberg and Hammer sells spring steel by the pound. 1lb = 96 ft.

http://www.greenberg-hammer.com/store.asp?CatID=2

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ooooo
[info]miss_tori_jones
2005-03-14 12:45 pm UTC (link)
didn't know about this one...thanks

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[info]ruddawg
2005-03-14 12:57 pm UTC (link)
Farthingales sells it by the meter:

http://www.farthingales.on.ca/

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[info]mina_lafleur
2005-03-14 07:50 pm UTC (link)
This is what I use, but bear in mind that it's thicker than "normal" precut steel. It's quite rigid and I generally bend mine to the shape. It ends up making a *very* sturdy corset.

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[info]ruddawg
2005-03-14 10:26 pm UTC (link)
Amen Sista! the corset made with this spiral steel will not go anywhere!

(I'm one of those maids that can use the extra support)

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-14 11:00 pm UTC (link)
Do you use this for all your boning or do you use something more flexible in places?
I'm not really aiming for _that_ sturdy for myself and the couple of friends who I promised to make corsets for are both skinny wee things so I don't think they'd need it.
(These will be more about giving a little bit more shape to their boyish figures than supporting curves).

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[info]mina_lafleur
2005-03-14 11:04 pm UTC (link)
Typically, I use it for everything except the curved bust seams sometimes. Though they're sturdy and quite rigid, I haven't had any complaints so far, so I guess it works pretty well. My own personal corsets have held up very well with this steel, though if your clients are teeny you may want to try something different (like that grand garb steel. I'm pondering that for myself!).

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-14 11:29 pm UTC (link)
As I said below, I was planning to use spiral steel for most boning and just use spring steel for front and back (either side of lacing and busk) so perhaps the more sturdy boning would actually still be appropriate there? Though I guess the important difference is that I don't want sideways flexing there (particularly in the back) so maybe as long as it's not spiral steel it won't matter too much?
Sorry for all the dumb questions but I don't want to buy a bunch of the wrong materials.
(Explanation of why such a newb wants to buy in bulk is below in case you're wondering).

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[info]mina_lafleur
2005-03-15 01:52 am UTC (link)
Sorry, I didn't answer your question well at all! And your questions really aren't dumb and you're right to want to be sure about what you're buying. I think if you're going to be making corsets that don't need as much stability, go for some lighter spring steel (grand garb, for example). I'm even finding the steel I use to be a bit much for everywhere on my personal corsets, so I may give them a try. The steel is great for using at the back though, so if you're going to use spiral everywhere but there, you could certainly just get a few meters of the thick spring steel. I hope I'm making sense...! Either way, most any spring steel other than spiral should be okay in the back provided you're stitching channels aren't too wide or too narrow.

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-15 06:48 am UTC (link)
Thanks so much for being so patient and helpful.
I love this community!

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-15 10:38 pm UTC (link)
Oh! Hold on! Farthingales has it listed under "hoop steel", right? Does this apply to the plastic coated hoop steel from corsetmaking.com too? Or is their hoop steel a different beast entirely?
I'm kinda partial to corsetmaking.com simply because they're the only company I've managed to find out approximate shipping costs from so far and they seem fairly reasonable (well, expensive, but normal for shipping).

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[info]ruddawg
2005-03-16 03:50 pm UTC (link)
its not the hoop steel, its spiral steel.

Unfortunately, here at work I cannot see Farthingales (wahhhhhhh) but it was under corset supplies.

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-17 12:54 am UTC (link)
I can't see the Farthingales site from home :(.
I thought it was just me.

Anyway, thanks, it's cool. I just spent way too much money at Corsetmaking.com ('cos I could get to their site and it was easiest to navigate and they responded really helpfully and quickly to my dumb questions) and just bought a selection of precut white boning in lengths that seemed reasonable. I'll see how that goes.
Maybe next time I'll try someone else.

Thanks to all for help :)

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[info]mrpet
2005-03-14 03:04 pm UTC (link)
Greenberg and Hammer's steel is very very thin. It's about as stiff as the spiral bones. Farthingales is very very stiff, more than double the busk thickness. It's a matter of preference. Either way I wouldn't recommend using the metal tips for the spring steels; they are designed for the coils. I tried to use them on a project and they fell off inside in the corset; I do know how to crimp them and they work great on coils. Greenberg has 'tipping fluid' that you dip cut and rounded ends into. This is the white stuff that the busks are done up with. It appears to be thick acrylic paint.

Also go and buy bolt cutters. While I have very strong hand strength, diagnol cutters just don't hack it.

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[info]keptwench
2005-03-14 07:38 pm UTC (link)
I use Plastic-dip (sp?) It is actually a liquid plastic sold to coat the handles of tools with, like hammers, etc. Works great for bones IMO.

Agreed on the bolt cutters.

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[info]lilmizcheezcake
2005-03-14 05:32 pm UTC (link)
I just put an order in with http://www.higginssupply.com/ and they are really nice.

Lil Miz Cheezcake

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[info]maggishness
2005-05-12 12:19 pm UTC (link)
What are their prices and minimum orders like? Unfortunately it says nothing about either on their website

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[info]lilmizcheezcake
2005-05-12 03:52 pm UTC (link)
If you email them they will send you a price sheet. I know their minimum order is small but you have to buy the minimum bulk bones which is I think 144 bones per size. Not to bad really.

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[info]britgeekgrrl
2005-03-14 05:39 pm UTC (link)
*puts on Mod hat* I think I'll put this entry in the memories, because if one person asks the question, ten more are thinking it. Thanks!

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-14 09:02 pm UTC (link)
OK, so to put this in context:
I'm in New Zealand and can't get boning/busks/etc locally and the shipping cost on orders is pretty steep.
I've never actually used *proper* supplies so I'm not entirely sure what is normal but I'm feeling confident enough now that I want to place an order. Because of the shipping costs I'd like to order enough for several corsets. I'm still learning so I can't draft them and then order exactly what I need so I'd like to order the boning uncut and then cut it as I need it.
I'm looking at using spiral steel for most of the boning and spring steel for either side of the busk and lacing (side question: is this a bad idea? It's what I've seen and roughly the equivalent of the hacksaw blade/cable tie combo that seems to work for me) so I'm thinking that the Farthingales boning would be more appropriate.
So anyway, any bulk buying advice would be much appreciated since I'm such a newbie and there's just too much choice!

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[info]miss_tori_jones
2005-03-15 01:47 pm UTC (link)
I use spring steel on each side of the grommets (or 2 part eyelets) at the back of my corsets, I use a real busk and if the steel in the busk is not extremely sturdy I will put a piece of spring steel behind the busk for added support, other than that I use the spiral steel.

You can see my latest creation at:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v721/Miss_Tori_Jones/

and the read password is: corsets

I didn't have the corset on all the way, but you can get the idea of how well it holds.

Miss Tori

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[info]frag_hag
2005-03-15 10:44 pm UTC (link)
Oh wow! I already thought the white/mauve corset was gorgeous and the black/pink one is sooo beautiful. Gorgeous shape and I *love* the fabric. I have a really hard time finding decent asian-style brocades (I love chrysanthemum design ones). It's probably just as well since I'm a fabric junkie and if I saw that fabric I'd be temptede to buy the entire roll :P

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creating ones own lacing bone
[info]wysperdwytch
2007-09-19 08:12 pm UTC (link)
has anyone tried to make their own lacing bone with a spring steel and a drill? it seems fairly logical and far cheaper than 5-10 dollars a pair...... was wondering bc i haven't seen anyone ask it b4....

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