A spool of stitching wire has several components, many of which must be taken into account to ensure compatibility with your saddle stitching machine. So let's go over the basics of the spool parts first, then we can dive into the stitching wire itself a bit mote. Use this guide to learn the different parts of a spool...
When the spool is sitting on it's base, the overall width of the widest point (the base) is called the flange. The barrel is the name for the piece that the wire is wound around. Within the barrel is a hollow hole, which is called the arbor. The arbor is what is places onto the mandrel of your machine. The height from the edge of both bases is called the overall width.
Now that you understand the different stitching wire spool parts, we can talk more about the stitching wire itself.
Stitching wire is most often seen in larger commercial printing operations. Binderies and press rooms that produce large-volume magazines, journals, booklets, and pamphlets will often have saddle stitchers that use stitch wire spools. The continuous metal wire that is wound around the spool is cut into "staples" and stitched into the spine of your book using the stitching machine. It is a fast and efficient way to produce spine-stapled documents.
Most stitching wire is manufactured from a low-carbon steel and features a coating of either galvanized, tin, or nylon. Different stitching machines can accept different coatings, and the most universal option is a galvanized wire. They feature a friction-reducing additives that help resist any peeling or flaking while they run through your machine. How smoothly the stitching wire runs in your machine, and the quality of the finished stitch will all be factors of your stitching wire choice. Factors such as gauge, shape, tensile, size, finish/coating, cast, spool size, (and others) can all play a part.
The most universal stitching wire is a 25 or 24 gauge round or flat wire. For thinner books up to about 7/32", most users prefer the 25 gauge, while thicker books often call for a 24 gauge instead. Other factors, such as paper density, stock, coating, your machine, etc. can also play a part in the gauge and share of stitching wire you select. Whatever your choice, a quality stitching wire can lead to a quality finished booklet or magazine.
Have more questions about stitching wire? Search our blog for more information, or call us at (800) 944-4573 for one-on-one help.
About the Author • Mallory Morsa has been a part of Binding101 since 2008 and has experience in several departments within the company. She began in customer service and sales where she honed in her skills to provide the customer with professional, fast, and accurate information. Shortly after, she was promoted to sales supervisor and also took on the role of product expert, training the team on new products. Throughout this time, she also wrote content for the site, as well as contributed stock photography and videography. As the team grew, she moves to an official position as the content specialist and social media manager. Her skills in these variety of areas give her the unique expertise to not just create content for the web, but to create content for you, the customer. She has a Bachelor's degree in business management and marketing, was on the Dean's List each year, and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In her free time, Mallory's favorite things to do include volunteering at the animal shelter by bottle feeding neonatal kittens, reading at the park, cooking plant-based meals, playing board games, and binge streaming TV shows with her 3 furbabies and family beside her.
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