Flax combs are used to separate and align flax fibers after the flax has been retted (rotted) and scutched (broken and separated from the woody core). You lay the flax fibers across the teeth of the comb and pull them through, removing shorter fibers (tow) and impurities and leaving longer, aligned fibers (line flax).
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Preparation: After scutching or scraping the flax, it is ready for combing. The flax will likely be tangled at this point.
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Combing: Lay the flax fibers across the teeth of the flax comb.
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Drawing: Gently pull the flax through the teeth of the comb. This action separates the longer, usable fibers from the shorter, less desirable ones.
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Repeat: Repeat the combing process multiple times, using progressively finer combs, to further refine the fibers. This removes more tow and aligns the remaining line flax even better.
The final result is long, lustrous, and aligned flax fibers that are ready for spinning into linen yarn.
