What breed of wool is best to use for making a pulled wool saddle pad?
That's a question I hear a lot. Let's look at some different breeds and their specs.
Micron refers to one millionth of a meter. It's a measurement term used to determine the thickness or diameter of a wool fiber. The lower the micron count, the fiber and softer the wool. Wools with a low micron count are great for clothing worn next to the skin but not as durable when it comes to pad making. Higher micron count wools are courser, thicker, and offer greater durability. Wools are typically classified as fine (under 20 microns), medium, (around 20 to 23 micron), or coarse (above 24 micron). Medium or course wools are best for pad making. Fine and super fine wools will be too delicate and compressible.
Staple length refers to the length of each individual fiber from its base to tip. A wool with too short of a staple will be difficult to work with for pad making due to all the short, fuzzy ends.
So you generally want a wool with a medium to high micron count and a longer staple of at least 3 inches. The individual specs of a batch of roving matters more than the breed itself. That being said, some of my personal favorite breeds to work with are the following:
Mixed Breed wools and 56 blends - this is a boring answer, but mixed breed wools are my favorites. They tend to combine some of the best properties from different breeds and are very budget friendly. If a mixed breed wool has the proper specs, it should be a good fit for pad making. In my experience the American 57 or English 56 wools tend to work nicely. The one from RH Lindsay is more cream than white but is very nice to work with.
Corriedale - originated as a cross between merino and Lincoln breeds, corriedale has the softness of merino with a higher micron count making it more durable. It also has a very nice, long staple due to the Lincoln influence.
Merino - I like it, but don't love it. Most of the nicest dyed wools I've found are merino, but for natural wools I tend to like wool with a higher micron. Merino is a bit too compressible and fine for my liking, plus it's one of the pricier breeds
Shetland - has a high crimp which makes it "bouncy", which I like. Typically around 23-25 microns and very durable. Not a cheap wool but it's one I like a lot.
Cheviot - can be a "sheddy" wool but has a nice spring/bounce too it and is quite durable and affordable. Micron count is usually 27-33 and staple 4-5 inches. Cheviot comes in white, grey, and dyed.
Jacob - natural colored wool breed originating from the UK. Bouncy and springy and very affordable. Typically has a medium to high micron count. It has low lanolin making it easy to handle. Fairly similar to Cheviot in how it handles and sheds. Usually comes in brown, white, and grey. The staple can vary quite a bit from 3-7 inches.
