'Soft-Touch' (Hey Becki!).

Q: Becki, I've read how you like 'Soft-Touch' and the review of it in one of the bead magazines was excellent. The review says it lies flat and straight, and drapes nicely. Well, the 30ft spool of it I got pretty soon after it first came out has given me nothing but trouble. It curls like it's been coiled around a pencil and I have not been able to use it despite my efforts. I remember reading a rumor somewhere on the net awhile ago that there were problems with some of the 'Soft-Touch'. I went to the Softflextm.com site and the 'Soft-Touch' info seems to be gone now. I wrote them an E-mail about my problem and asked for a replacement or a refund, but I haven't heard back yet. Does anyone know whats going on? I've used 'Soft-Flex' .014 and .019, and it's great so I was very disappointed in my experience with the 'Soft-Touch'.

A: I have no idea what to tell you, I would write to them again about getting it replaced. I have managed to "spiral" my own 'Soft-Touch' after pulling it too hard through a bead, it curls like curling ribbon after that and I just throw it away at that point, but that is a user error, not the fault of the manufacturer. You should not be having this problem. OK, I just got a helpful E-mail from the 'Soft-Touch' people saying that some defective wire had been produced at one point and to get a refund or replacement from the place I originally bought it from. They are not currently manufacturing the Softtouch line. They apologized for my inconvenience and offered to send me some crimp beads, so I am pleased with their response to my inquiry. Now I just hope I can get some non-defective 'Soft-Touch' as the .010 size could be so useful! Unfortunately this information also got posted after I suggested contacting them again, and it sent me out shopping for 'Soft-Touch'. I did score some 0.10 but not enough to share, not yet, but stay tuned. If I get some more, I will share it with you. If they are giving up on the 'Soft-Touch' line (which seems a possibility, given the problems they've been having) I wonder if they could do a .010 size in 'Soft-Flex'. I never saw that much flexibility difference anyway - but the smaller size is great. Anybody have an "in" at 'Soft-Flex' to suggest this? I just got back from Tucson... 'Soft-Flex' people told us there's a part that broke on the machine that makes 'Soft-Touch', but that's what they've been saying for almost a year, so I don't know what's going on. If anyone finds a source, please share (or something that's equally thin and flexible).