How Nylon String Is Made

Nylon is the name for a group of polymers referred to as linear polyamides. Nylon is made into rope or string for many purposes. For example, it can be used for tennis string, guitar string, dental floss, netting and thread. Nylon itself is made from one or two different processes.

Nylon fibers are typically made in two ways. A common method is to create nylon salt. The salt is dried and then placed in a vacuum to remove water, creating the polymer. The second method to create nylon fiber the amine and acid for a polymerized chain. Whichever method is used to create the polyamide, it is melted, then spun and drawn (pulled).

Regardless of nylon fibers uses, they are very strong, easy to wash, abrasion-resistant, stretchy, moisture-resistant and lightweight.

Tennis strings have a nylon core that is wrapped with another material. The way the wrap is placed on the core or the material used changes the response of tennis strings. Better quality string is typically multiply wrapped. Some tennis string is either coated with titanium or titanium is blended into the filaments.

Guitar strings used to be made from wire or gut cut (sheep's intestines) only. Nylon is now also used for acoustic and electric classical guitars. Typically, the first three strings are nylon and the rest are nylon with silver wire wrapped around the string. The nylon can come in light, medium and hard tensions, which change the strings' sound.

Nylon thread is a thin nylon string. Creating nylon thread takes special consideration because sewing on a machine creates friction and heat. The string has one strand that is extruded to the appropriate size. The texture is similar to fishing line and naturally reduces friction from sewing. To keep the thread from fraying, the thread is coated.