When I weave tea towels with 8/2 cotton at 18 epi and they have thin stripes, I don't like the tracking created by using a 12 dent reed sleyed at 1, 2, 1 etc. Sometimes this tracking doesn't come out in the wash. It seems that an 18 dent reed would solve the problem. Would an 18 dent reed cause too much abrasion for 8/2 cotton?

Don’t know about an 18 dent reed. I think it would be a bit difficult to sley. I bought a 9 dent reed. Works great and is easy to sley 2,2.

I think I would go blind sleying an 18. I find the 12 hard enough. I have a 6, 8, 10, and 12. The 6 would work, too, Kathleen.

If I have problems threading the reed, I could always get one of these. More tools!
https://peggyosterkamp.com/peggys-weaving-tips-learn-automatic-reed-hook/
https://avllooms.com/products/patent-denter

That’s kind of amazing. At first I was shocked at the price, but holy smokes! That would certainly cut down sleying errors!

It is expensive. I'm surprised I haven't seen these around before.

Same here. First I have seen of it. I wonder if Jane has seen them?

If the shipping wasn't so expensive to Canada (I'm in the Vancouver area), I'd get one just to try it out. I can't quite figure out how it works.

Interesting piece.
Perhaps you could get it here for less?
https://www.georgeweil.com/weaving-looms-and-tools/weaving-loom-reeds/autodenter-for-sleying-the-reed/

They do ship to US and Canada but you have to enter Zip code to check shipping costs.

At £32 I don’t think it’s cheaper. I’m gonna keep looking, though. 😉

Here we go. $55. And good reviews. Still a bit pricy, but seems like a good tool.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126241381/saori-automatic-reed-denting-threading?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-tools_and_equipment-equipment_and_machines-looms-warping_tools&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjwn9CgBhDjARIsAD15h0AJjV84RHHHWd51HZAolr3g-3ZBOewn3EYddUB4PEUhJn-FVSH6u4kaApwVEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_12569400892_126353643344_507394780690_pla-321517473962_c__126241381_14417101&utm_custom2=12569400892&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn9CgBhDjARIsAD15h0AJjV84RHHHWd51HZAolr3g-3ZBOewn3EYddUB4PEUhJn-FVSH6u4kaApwVEALw_wcB

Unfortunately, they don't ship to Canada. Oh well, I'll just keep my eye out for one.

I don't really need one. It just looked really interesting. If you get one, let us know how it works. Just an fyi - one thing I did notice was that the tool comes in different sizes for use with different sized reeds. If I ever did buy one, it would be for an 18 dent reed that I've just ordered.