34 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 



The best gimp is commonly made on pure white 

 silk — a yellow colour is generally an inferior quality. 



To Stain Gimp. 



Nothing can be worse, as regards fine-fishing, than the 

 common glittering gimp ; indeed so great is the draw- 

 back that some authors have actually recommended the 

 troUer to take the trouble of lapping it over from end to 

 end with waxed silk like the shanks of hooks. I there- 

 fore tried various ways of staining or clouding it, so as 

 to remove the glittering appearance complained of with- 

 out impairing the strength of the gimp, and the following 

 will be found to answer every purpose so far as the finer 

 requirement is concerned, though I am by no means 

 sure that the gimp is quite so strong after staining, 

 especially when put by for any length of time : — 



Soak the gimp in a solution of bichloride of platinum — mixed in 

 about the proportion of one part of platinum to eight or ten of 

 water — until it has assumed the colour desired. 



I find this stain is now very generally used in the 

 tackle shops. Captain Robinson tells me that sulphide 

 of potassium is a good permanent stain.for both brass 

 and silver gimp. He says : 



Sir, — In your Book of the Pike, which I have lately read, bichlo- 

 rate of platinum is recommended for staining brass gimp. This I 

 failed to obtain in a county town, but being convinced of the im- 

 portance of staining gimp, I thought of trying sulphide of potassium. . 

 As I find this gives a permanent stain to both silver and brass gimp, 

 I take the liberty of mentioning it to you. Sulphide of potassium 

 made by dissolving a Httle Lapis infernalis in water, mixing flowers 



