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Saw that Berkley Fireline got an 8 strand braid now. Fireline Ultra 8 Carrier is quite a long name. Just as the packaging says 8 strands and thermally fused. I ran several line test between my finger and thumb. Getting a feel for how much more round the lines are and how much coating makes the line. The 20# test was very obvious waxy feeling.I bought the 4# test line mfg labeled the diameter to be .12 mm It's still a thermally fused line and that's what makes it Fireline. I put this line through my typical line/knot strength test. The first test resulted in a 7# 12 oz. knot break. The second test resulted in a 8# 9 oz. knot break on the same line. Third test results were 8# 8 oz giving me an average of 8# 4 oz. roughly. There wasn't any noticeable ribbon effect to the line at all. I saw a few rings on the line that may be premature line weakness or just the result of the bond from the line coating breaking under pull.Side to side comparison to normal Fireline Crystal 4# test. Both have just about same feel and looks. When compared to Sufix 832 Ice braid ghost, Fireline was noticeably smaller even though the mfg claimed diameter is .10 mm for the Sufix 832 braid.Berkley Fireline Original .13 mm 4# knot break 6# 12 oz.Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 .12 mm 4# knot break 8# 4 oz.Sufix 832 Ice Braid .10mm 4# knot break 9# 2 oz.With the knot break comparison, it seems the new Ultra 8 carrier braid has more knot strength compared to old Fireline Original. Sufix 832 Ice braid in 4# may have a higher knot strength but it really is a larger line diameter.
Sufix 832 Ice Braid .10mm 4# knot break 9# 2 oz.I had to try it, only because one can't get regular 832 in smaller test. Comparing the retail 6# test between regular 832 and 832 ice Braid, the ice version felt softer. Furthermore I couldn't see with my naked eye the Gore strand that normally contrast the other strands. I could not identify it either after examining a package with a frayed end. I will say, there is an impressive accomplishment to get it that small of a line and have 8 strands.So I bought a 4# test spool. 50yrd for $10 is kind of high.The line break test was phenomenal. While I was pulling and watching the weight value. I was expecting the line to snap under 5#, but it kept on climbing. I did experience some knot slip. Probably what caused the knot break. I watched the pull pressure go from 5 to 6 pounds and continued. It climbed 7 to 8 pounds, then knot slipped. Pulled more to 9 pounds, then another knot slipped and breaks at 9# 2 ounces. Okay it's very strong for a 4# list.A scrapped piece of line was given a water bath. To my surprise the line sinks. The normall 832 was more/less neutral floater. Sort of just depends on how much Micro air bubbles are trapped in the braid.
So I ordered some fresh braid. Well it appears that Diawa has made some smaller test# available to the previous J-Braid that was only available at 10# test. I ordered some 6# and 8#, but only the 6# was delivered so far. Off I went to test it on my little fish scale like normal. However with this small braid, I did use some Spro power swivel to tie onto. From my experience with thin line like Berkley Nanofil, I expected to up my wraps instead of my normal knot tying. My first premature line test ended up with a flat 8# knot break failure. My second attempt was using my standard knot and it only yield a 6# 14 oz. knot break failure. That was expected. Back again to test by increasing the line wraps by only one more and a careful pull test, the result was 8# 4 oz. knot break failure. I am satisfied with such results, knowing that the line itself is that much stronger that the knot break failures. At current, this thin line is soft and very pliable. It makes Berkley Nanofil appears thick. The texture feel almost like that of polyester fly tying line. I did not experience any color bleed in either dry or wet line.Diawa J-Braid x8 .06 mm 6# knot break 8# 4 ozBerkley NanoFil 4# .10mm knot break 7# 5 oz.Berkley Fireline Crystal .06 mm 1# line break 3# 5 oz.Berkley Fireline Original .13 mm 4# knot break 6# 12 ozBerkley Fireline Ultra 8 carrier .12mm 4# knot break 8# 4 oz.Sufix 832 Ice Braid .10mm 4# knot break 9# 2 ozASSO Micro Finish braid .08 mm 10# knot break 8# 4 oz. Mfg claim break of 13.2#I've been a fan of Berkley Fireline for a long time. When compared to Diawa J-Braid x8, I should convert it all over. This sample of 6# Diawa J-Braid is same diameter to 1# Berkley Fireling Crystal. That is not even a fair comparison in line tensile strength. Line tensile strength it is equivalent to the new 4# test Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 carrier line. However not that's a much much thicker line. Sufix 832 Ice Braid doesn't even come close to making a comparison. While ASSO Micro Finish braid at 10# shares about the same knot break strength, being a 4 carrier braid, it is very noisy on the Beaver Dam Noodle Ice rod with the wire line guide type.I have been using 10# Diawa J-Braid x8 for some ice fishing which performs no different than other braid when it comes to freezing. Yes the existent of air bubbles on braid lines showing up on the flasher was evidently there. Fortunately this warm winter, there has been much temperature just shy of below freezing level and above freezing temperature so I had not experience any kind of icing issues on my rod tip. The 10# J-Braid is manufacture listed at .15 mm which is about equal to 3# ice mono lines. Compare to other superlines at same equivalent manufacture listed diameter, they're about 6# listed diameter type. I do not remember having a loud noise issue while reeling up the line. Perhaps it was because I was using this on the K&E Whip'r rod and that absorbed most of the noise vibration due to the line guide type. I may have to just swap it out and test it on another rod to confirm this, knowing that softer 8 strand carrier type braids will be smoother compared to 4 strand carrier types of braids.Diawa J-Braid x8 .15 mm 10# knot break 13#Sufix Ice Braid .14 mm 6# knot break 7# 11 ozBerkley Fireline Crystal .15 mm 6# knot break 8# 8 oz.
slipperybob,Got to say I really enjoy your endeavors, testing and general curiosity for fishing line and knots! Iv'e read all your journal from day one.Maybe a bit on the different knots you use (prefer) for each line (floro, mono, braid etc)? Don't want to start a war cause knots can be kind of personal. Just curious.Keep up the good work!
The wax or coating is a good thing IMO, it keeps the braid from absorbing so much water and freezing.I personally prefer a stiffer braid in lower diameters.Ones to consider would be, Pline tcb 8, Sunline xplasma, duel hardcore 8The hardest part with the braids listed is finding the right diameter you are looking for with ice fishing equitment, sufix 6lb is .006"+ while the others that I listed are in around 8-10lb but have the same diameter.I like .004" but can live with .006"I do want to try some of the new Daiwa J-braid x8 grand in 8lb .005"Also if you want to test braid to leader connection, the FG knot is the one to go with unless you like to tie the PR knot.
The remaining Diawa braid lines came in the mail. So quick line strength pull test. Well after removing the spools from the packages and to my findings I cannot tell the difference between the J-Braid x8 or the J-Braid Grand x8. Now I was under the impression that the Grand would be more coarse in texture. Well I can almost confirm that, being such thin threads. It also seems like the Grand will ribbon out more or it appears to me that the spools I got seems to exhibit this more so in comparing to equivalent J-Braid x8. When I pinch the lines and push together to check how tightly weaved the braided strands are, I found that it was much easier to get the strands to separate on the J-Braid Grand x8 vs standar J Braid x8.The package talks about IZANAS fiber which use to be Dyneema trademark name. So I found out that there are two grades SK60 and SK71. SK71 is the stronger of the two.Diawa J-Braid x8 .06 mm 6# knot break 8# 4 ozDiawa J-Braid x8 .13 mm 8# knot break 11# 9 ozDiawa J-Braid x8 .15 mm 10# knot break 13#Diawa J-Braid Grand x8 .06mm 6# knot break 6# 4 ozDiawa J-Braid Grand x8 .13 mm 8# knot break 10# 12 ozDiawa J-Braid Grand x8 .15 mm 10# knot break 16# 14 ozI am surprised at the strength of this line. The 6# label wasn't as strong as I had expected. The 8# was strong, but compared to J-Braid x8, it was weaker. The 10# has a much higher break strength and I'm totally impressed. Overall, multi strand carrier means that the failure of one strand is more likely. I'd figure getting that small in diameter, one would also see more line breakage
So my impulsive line order came through and I ordered a variety of line tests. YGK G-Soul Upgrade X-814# at .131 mm16# at .153 mm22# at .171 mm25# at .185 mmYGK G-Soul SS112 Sinking Braid10# at .165 mm14# at .185 mmAll I can say is wow this line is thin. It feels significantly much thinner than anything I've felt. Even more thin than the J-Braid x8 Grand. Will have to give it some line break test and some side to side comparison later. The clear package spool is a great visual product. One can really see how nice the line is and how little room it takes. The appearance is so uniform and even as a braid, it looks like a single monofilament.Some preliminary line break test on the G-Soul Upgrade X-8 with all knot break failures.14# listed with four trials: 6#15, 6#12, 7#0, 6#1516# listed with four trials: 9#0, 9#15, 8#15, 8#1522# listed with three trials: 13#10, 12#15, 12#10It's been a while since I've tied and manipulated the knot on thin PE lines. I can't remember what I did to achieve a higher strength. However, I'm glad to see a rather consistent breakage. It means two contributing factor. First I may be tying a rather consistent knot with how I'm tying. Second, the line is consistent in uniformity strength with the extrusion process. As much as I expected that I was not going to get the manufacture listed line break strength, after all that's not what I'm after. I'm after my real world use of the line and how the knot will hold for me. I tried looking for my 6# Diawa J-Braid to make a line to line comparison but couldn't find it at the moment. I did find some 10# J-Braid X8 and the 4# Berkley Nanofil line. The 14# G-Soul Upgrade looked thinner than 10# J-Braid while the 16# looked very much alike in diameter. The 4# Nanofil was just about equal in turns of line diameter thickness. The line is very pliable. Compare to Nanofil, it feels very much like it. The line feels so smooth and has a good body feel almost as if it is one single thread. There is also a self support and while holding about 4 to 5 inches horizontal of line material. That's quite amazing and almost feels like a levitation trick. Getting to about 6 to 7 inches it will be pull down by gravity and is no longer able to self support horizontally. Compressing the line by pinching and pushing together did not yield any strand separations. The weave is just too uniform and well packed. I was only able to see a sign of thread separation after multiple line break of the same sample. Even then I was not able separate the thread weave.Further note is that this time I did a really crude line test method. I kept using the same line even after the first break. Typically I expect that the sequent test should have yield less results. After all there were obvious signs of line damage even after the first line break test. I could see that the thread fluffed up where the fibers broke in multiple spots throughout the sample test line. Another telltale sign was how the line had contracted into a somewhat bunched deformity of random compressed doodle. This means that the fibers were stretched and rebounded. However it's odd that later test of the same sample would yield a higher break strength. This could hint that the line is still very strong even after some light stressed breakage.
So if braid tests higher the the said rating.Why do they rate it so low? Do people really think they are getting a better deal when they buy #2 test line that breaks at #5?