I just started beading and want to know why the Soft Flex wire cost so much more than the Tiger Tail wire?
A. Tiger Tail is the old industry standard beading cable. It is 3 or 7 strands of stainless steel wound together to create a strong flexible cable. The problem with Tiger Tail is that it has a tendency to kink and once the wire is kinked it will not look good when worn. Soft Flex is a brand name for a softer, more flexible beading cable made from 21 or 49 strands of stainless steel threads that are woven together & coated with nylon. Because the threads are so fine, the result is a much softer product with less tendency to kink. Both of the wires are strong, but the Soft Flex wire out performs the Tiger Tail and worth the extra money. FYI other companies make similar products. Brand names for Tiger Tail are Acculon, Beadalon 7 and Jewelry Wire. Brand names for more flexible wire are Soft Flex, Beadalon 49, Acculon & Griffin Jewelry Wire.
