Greg,

From your statement, I’m presuming your accumulated research on sewing thread is received via the internet. The internet is one tool, I prefer lessons learned from those in (or were) the business and who analyze the details of construction and structure of historical textile (in this case, flags). A short list, Howard Madaus, Fonda Thomson, Dr. Whitney Smith, Dr. Henry Moeller, etc. and many textile experts at museums & universities, plus my years in the textile business.

The number of twist, one can determined if the tread was machine made or homemade, nothing to do with a date made. On handmade you can in theory determine, if they were left or right handed. Some say they can determine the the type of spinning machine and spindle to date the thread but I’m not sure of that since the set up determines the number of threads and twist, per customer specifications.

Mercerizing is a finishing process, it either is or not and then the wrap may be the only one to going through the finishing.

Happy Trails!
Tom Martin
www.Piedmontflag.com
www.Confederate-flags.org