Weaving reed: wood or metal? A guide for hobby weavers

As a hobby weaver or semi-professional hand weaver, you may be wondering which material is best for your reed. Here is a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of wooden and metal reeds.

If you are urgently looking for a reed, feel free to have a look in our shop: Berliner Webstühle. We would particularly like to recommend our custom-made stainless steel reeds.

In brief: as a hobby weaver, the choice of reed material is usually not decisive. For the vast majority of projects you can use reeds made of wood as well as of stainless steel. The dimensions of the reed and the fineness (dpi) matter more.

Wooden reeds: light and tend to be inexpensive

Wooden reeds are ideal for traditional craft work and simpler weaving projects, for example on a weaving frame such as the Emilia by Glimåkra. They are lightweight, which makes weaving less tiring, and offer a certain flexibility, which is particularly beneficial when working with delicate or irregular threads.

• Recommended projects: loose weaves, fine fabrics, traditional weaving, experimental patterns, working on a weaving frame.
• Advantage: Lightweight, mostly cheaper, attractive aesthetics.
• Disadvantage: Less robust, can wear out faster with intensive use, less suitable for large weaving widths.

Metal reeds: precise and durable

Metal reeds – especially those made of (stainless) steel – are the better choice for larger and more intensive projects. Particularly if you are working on a loom with a large weaving width. They are extremely durable and offer high precision, especially with dense fabrics.

• Recommended projects: Dense weaves, heavy fabrics, long-lasting weaving projects, firm, compact weave structures.
• Advantage: High stability and durability, even with intensive use.
• Disadvantage: Heavier than wood, more expensive to produce.

What about plastic reeds?

With simple weaving frames, e.g. a school weaving frame, you can use plastic reeds without any problem. For anything beyond that, however, we recommend wood or metal. Plastic is usually not durable and tends to be rather unattractive.

What are rigid heddles?

When someone talks about "rigid heddles", they typically also mean reeds. You can find a whole article about this here: Rigid heddle loom

Conclusion: Make the right choice

For fine and light fabrics, wooden reeds are ideal. If you produce larger, denser fabrics or want durability, it is better to choose a steel reed. We rather advise against plastic reeds.

When buying a reed, pay attention to the density and the right dimensions for your loom. Regarding the correct density, we have an article here: Understanding reeds and choosing them correctly

If you are looking for a reed, take a look at our shop Berliner Webstühle.