Fiber Preparation Tools

Tools that comb, clean and straighten raw fiber before it is spun, including the hackle or heckle that combs flax and hemp and the wool combing machine that lays wool fibers parallel. A tool belongs here when its cited source describes it as a comb or machine for preparing fiber. It excludes the spindles and wheels that spin the fiber and the looms that weave the thread. Combing separates the long fibers from the short and removes tangles, so the yarn that is spun afterward is smoother and stronger.