A drop spindle is a top-whorl in which the whorl is placed at the top of the shaft. The primary advantage over bottom-whorl spindles lies in their ability to accommodate longer fibers with less risk of breakage. In addition, because most spinners tend to have enough twists on hand, they can easily draft out more fiber by pulling from below, especially for short-staple fibers such as cotton and flax.
Here are the advantages of top whorl drop spindle with cherry finish.
1. Sturdy, Hefty construction
The top whorl drop spindle itself is a pretty cherry color with a sturdy base and long shaft. The spindle drops directly from the top of the base, where there are three holes for securing your yarn.
2. Very strong center point
The newer designs of this spindle have two points at which you can secure your yarn; centrally under the whorl (the circular part on top) and in one of the holes towards the end of this new design. At the same time, I haven’t done any scientific testing to measure how strong these points are compared to other drop spindles I own or others that may be available commercially. I do know that some people in the past had had some difficulties getting their yarn in and out of these two points when they were new. When it was already slightly used, I received my Cherry Drop Spindle, so this may no longer be an issue with continued use and wear on the spindle. Whatever the case may be, for me, this has never been a problem whatsoever.
3. Cherry Finish
First off, let’s talk about how pretty this drop spindle is! It comes in a dark red/brown finish that looks lovely with any color you plan to spin on it. This is not a spindle you would want to leave sitting out on your spinning desk because it will get dirty from fibers flocking to it. It looks best in a drawer when not in use, but I’ve been known to leave this one out from time to time because it is just that pretty.
4. Good for Spinning a Wide Variety of Fibers
This spindle can handle a wide variety of fiber types and blends because the whorl on top has a somewhat flat edge instead of being rounded off or beveled in any way. You can even spin combined fibers with this spindle if you find the ends making their way through the center point inconvenient because you can add another yarn end to hold securely in place. And lastly, though I have never personally tried this before, some people have told me that they have successfully used this drop spindle to make a rope to braid it later.
5. Price, Price, Price
The price for this spindle is more than reasonable; you can purchase one for under $20, including shipping on Etsy.com. Additionally, I believe some Cherry Drop Spindles are available on Amazon, including free shipping if you have an Amazon Prime account. Regardless of where you purchase your Cherry Drop Spindle from, neither place charges tax which is another added benefit if you live in a state where taxes on items can be high and often unexpected during checkout.
In conclusion, this spindle has many advantages compared to many other more basic drop spindles, but it is also slightly less convenient in some ways.
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