Charts and Reference

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Types and Sizes of Beading Thread and Stringing Material

See how a variety of beading and jewelry-making threads and light-duty cords measure up. Easy-to-use chart includes thread diameter in inches and millimeters for nylon, silk, FireLine® and more.

Monofilament

Berkley® FireLine
Size Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.06mm 1lb
0.08mm 2lb
0.10mm 3lb
0.13mm 4lb
0.15mm 6lb
0.18mm 8lb
0.20mm 10lb
0.23mm 14lb
0.30mm 20lb

Berkley NanoFil
Size Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.006-inch 8lbs

Invizi™-Cord
Size Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.25mm 8lbs

Kevlar®
Size Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.05mm 6lbs
0.2mm 7lbs

Miyuki Dura-Line
Size Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.12mm 12lbs
0.15mm 18lbs

Nylon

C-Lon®
Size Measurement Size Name Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.006-inch / 0.1524mm AA 6lbs
0.0067-inch / 0.17mm D 9lbs
0.0098-inch / 0.25mm Micro Weight 11lbs
0.163-inch / 0.414mm Fine Weight 25lbs
0.1969-inch / 0.5mm Standard Weight 34lbs
0.03543-inch / 0.9mm Heavy Weight 74lbs

Griffin Nylon Power
Size Measurement Size Name Tensile Strength (PSI)
0.013-inch / 0.33mm No. 0 2lbs
0.01378-inch / 0.35mm No. 1 5lbs
0.0177-inch / 0.45mm No. 2 12lbs
0.01969-inch / 0.5mm No. 3 14lbs
0.02362-inch / 0.6mm No. 4 24lbs
0.02559-inch / 0.65mm No. 5 26lbs
0.02756-inch / 0.7mm No. 6 28lbs
0.02953-inch / 0.75mm No. 7 32lbs
0.0315-inch / 0.8mm No. 8 42lbs
0.03543-inch / 0.9mm No. 10 50+lbs
0.03858-inch / 0.98mm No. 12 50+lbs
0.04016-inch / 1.02mm No. 14 50+lbs
0.04134-inch / 1.05mm No. 16 50+lbs

K.O.
Size Tensile Strength
0.0059-inch / 0.15mm 4lbs

Nozue Sonoko
Size Tensile Strength
0.0114-inch / 0.29mm 8lbs

Nymo®
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.005-inch / 0.127mm OO 2lbs
0.006-inch / 0.1524mm O 4lbs
0.008-inch / 0.2032mm B 4.5lbs
0.012-inch / 0.3048mm D 8.5lbs

Spectra®
Size Tensile Strength
0.004-inch / 0.1016mm 18lbs
0.006-inch / 0.1524mm 30lbs
0.012-inch / 0.3048mm 50lbs

Parachute Cord
Size Tensile Strength
4mm 550lbs

Silamide
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.008-inch / 0.2032mm A 4lbs

Silkon®
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.0116-inch / 0.2921mm #1 11lbs
0.013-inch / 0.33mm #2 15lbs
0.0163-inch / 0.414mm #3 23lbs

TOHO BEADS® One-G™
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.0067-inch / 0.17mm 0 6lbs

Twisted Nylon Cord
Size Tensile Strength
0.0393-inch / 1mm 50+lbs

Silk

Griffin Natural Silk
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.0118-inch / 0.3mm #0 2lbs
0.01378-inch / 0.35mm #1 5lbs
0.0177-inch / 0.45mm #2 12lbs
0.01969-inch / 0.5mm #3 14lbs
0.02362-inch / 0.6mm #4 24lbs
0.02559-inch / 0.65mm #5 26lbs
0.02756-inch / 0.7mm #6 28lbs
0.02953-inch / 0.75mm #7 32lbs
0.0315-inch / 0.8mm #8 42lbs
0.03543-inch / 0.9mm #10 50+lbs
0.03858-inch / 0.98mm #12 50+lbs
0.04016-inch / 1.02mm #14 50+lbs
0.04134-inch / 1.05mm #16 50+lbs

Purely Silk™
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.0050-inch / 0.127mm OO 2lbs
0.0060-inch / 0.152mm O 2lbs
0.007-inch / 0.178mm A 2lbs
0.008-inch / 0.203mm B 4lbs
0.0108-inch / 0.274mm C 5lbs
0.0120-inch / 0.3048mm D 9lbs
0.0128-inch / 0.3251mm E 12lbs
0.0137-inch / 0.3480mm F 14lbs
0.015-inch / 0.381mm FF 22lbs
0.0165-inch / 0.4191mm FFF 32lbs
0.015-inch / 0.4mm #1.5 5lbs
0.023-inch / 0.6mm #4 24lbs
0.031-inch / 0.8mm #8 33lbs
0.039-inch / 1mm Cord 50+lbs

Stretch

Elastic Floss
Size Tensile Strength
0.0197-inch / 0.5mm 3lbs

Powercord®
Size Tensile Strength
0.0157-inch / 0.4mm 3.5lbs
0.0197-inch / 0.5mm 4lbs
0.0275-inch / 0.7mm 7lbs
0.0314-inch / 0.8mm 8.5lbs
0.039-inch / 1mm 14lbs
0.059-inch / 1.5mm 22lbs
0.0787-inch / 2mm 21.5lbs

Other Materials

Deerskin Leather
Size Tensile Strength
2.5-3mm 10-15lbs

Imitation Silk
Size Tensile Strength
0.039-inch / 1mm 50+

Hemp
Size Tensile Strength
0.0197-inch / 0.5mm 10lbs
0.039-inch / 1mm 20lbs
0.059-inch / 1.5mm 45lbs

Cotton Cord
Size Tensile Strength
0.0197-inch / 0.5mm 35lbs
0.039-inch / 1mm 20-35lbs
0.0787-inch / 2mm 50lbs
0.118-inch / 3mm 50+lbs
0.157-inch / 4mm 50+lbs

Satinique®
Size Size Name Tensile Strength
0.0393-inch / 1mm Mini 50+lbs
0.59-inch / 1.5mm Small 50+lbs
0.787-inch / 2mm Regular 50+lbs
0.1574-inch / 4mm Large 50+lbs

Bamboo
Size Tensile Strength
0.5mm 10 lbs
1mm 20 lbs
1.5mm 36 lbs
1.8mm 48 lbs

Ellada Leather™
Size Tensile Strength
1.5mm N/A
2.5mm N/A
5mm N/A
10x5mm N/A

Imitation Sinew
Size Tensile Strength
2mm 50 lbs
3mm 70 lbs

Mesh Tubular Ribbon
Size Tensile Strength
12mm N/A

Waxed Linen
Size Tensile Strength
0.5 - 0.8mm 40 lbs

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