Toho Seed Beads
WHY TOHO?
IN ENGLISH, TOHO MEANS "EASTERN TREASURE", THESE PRECISION MADE JAPENESE SEED BEADS ARE SOME OF THE FINEST IN THE WORLD. THE COLOR AND SIZE CONSISTENCY MAKES BEAD WEAVING, LOOMING AND STRINGING PROJECTS PERFECT AND BEAUTIFUL EVERY TIME.
WE CARRY TOHO BRAND FOR SEVERAL VERY GOOD REASONS:
TOHO BEADS OFFER EXTREME COLOR AND SIZE CONSISTENCY, EVEN IN THE ROUND SEED BEADS,
TOHO BEADS FEATURE A SLIGHTLY LARGER HOLE THAN COMPARABLE JAPANESE SEED BEADS. THIS FEATURE ALLOWS FOR MORE THREAD PASSES, OR A LARGER SIZE NEEDLE TO BE USED. FOR EXAMPLE, A #10 ENGLISH BEADING NEEDLE WITH SIZE D THREAD( OR A 6LB FIRELINE) WILL PASS THRU A 15/0 ROUND SEED BEAD TWICE. DO NOT TRY THAT WITH THE OTHER BRANDS.
TOHO'S TRIANGLE BEADS HAVE A TRIANGULAR HOLE. THIS MEANS THEY FALL INTO PLACE MORE NEATLY THAN THE OTHER BRANDS' ROUND HOLE.
TOHO'S LARGER HOLE MAKES THE BEADS A BIT LIGHTER SO YOU GET A FEW MORE PER GRAM.
TUBE SIZES
WE CARRY OUR SEED BEADS IN 2 SIZES OF TUBES. EACH IS LABLED WITH THE COLOR NAME AND REORDER NUMBER:
6" TUBES HOLD 30GRAMS: 11/0, 8/0, 6/0 ROUND; 11/0, 8/0 TRIANGLES; 11/0 HEX; 1.5MM, 4MM CUBES; #1 AND #3 BUGLES.
2.75: TUBES HOLD 12 GRAMS: #1 TREASURES (11/0 CYLINDER BEADS); #3 TREASURES (8/0 CYLINDER BEADS); 15/0 ROUNDS.
HOW MANY BEADS PER GRAM?
MANY PATTERNS CALL FOR A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF GRAMS OF BEADS. THE FOLLOWING SHOULD HELP YOU FIGURE HOW MANY TUBES TO BUY IF IT LISTS BEAD COUNTS INSTEAD.
6/0 ROUND: 15 BEADS PER GRAM; 10 BEADS PER LINEAR INCH; 70 BEADS PER
SQUARE INCH
8/0 ROUND: 38BEADS PER GRAM; 13 BEADS PER LINEAR INCH; 108 BEADS PER
SQUARE INCH
11/0 ROUND: 110 BEADS PER GRAM; 18 BEADS PER LINEAR INCH; 2316 BEADS
PER SQUARE INCH
15/0: 290 BEADS PER GRAM; 24 BEADS PER LINEARE INCH; 330 BEADS PER
SQUARE INCH
#1 TREASURES: 190 BEADS PER GRAM; 20BEADS PER LINEAR INCH; 285 BEADS
PER SQUARE INCH
4MM CUBES: 12 BEADS PER GRAM
8/0tRIANGLE: 45 BEADS PER GRAM
11/0 TRIANGLE: 65 BEADS PER GRAM
FINISHES
OPAQUE AND TRANSPARENT BEADS ARE COLORED THROUGHOUT. THE COLORS ARE PERMANENT AND WILL NOT RUB OFF OR CHANGE.
AB (RAINBOW), IRISAND LUSTERED FINISHES ARE EXTREMELY STABLE AND WILL NOT RUB OFF UNLESS SUBJECTED TO EXTREME SURFACE STRESS SUCH AS SCRAPING OR SANDING.
MATTE AND SILK (CEYLON) FINISHES ARE ALSO VERY STABLE.
DYED COLOR MAY WEAR OVER TIME IF SUBJECTED TO CAUSTIC SUBSTANCES, FULL SUNLIGHT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS, OR HARSH COSMETICS. PINKS ARE LEAST STABLE. WE TRY NOT TO CARRY DYED BEADS, BUT SOME COLORS ARE WORTH THE RISK. THEY ARE CLEARLY MARKED SO YOU KNOW BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO INCLUDE THEM IN A PROJECT.
GALVANIZED BEADS ARE NOT STABLE AND MAY RUB OFF DUE TO SURFACE STRESS, BODY CHEMISTRY AND/OR COSMETICS. THEY CAN BE STABILLIZED BY SPRAYING YOUR FINSIHED WORK WITH PASTEL FIXATIVE OR A SPRAY SEALANT SUCH AS KRYLON LACQUER. SINCE THESE BEADS ARE VERY SHINY ALREADY, THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE BEAD.,
PERMANENT FINISHED GALVANIZED: MORE AND MORE OF THE GALVANIZED ARE BEING REPLACED WITH THIS. THIS FINISH IS EXTREMELY STABLE, DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY SORT OPF TREATMENT, AND RESISTS WEAR AND CHEMICALS VERY WELL.
HYBRID FINISHES ARE CZECH FINISHES APPLIED POST-MANUFACTURED TO TOHO SEED BEADS. THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF FINISHES, BUT ONLY OF MEDIUM STABILITY. THEY ARE SOMEWHAT VULNERABLE TO EXTENSIVE RUBBING, OR COSMETICS AND SHOULD BE USED WITH CARE.
HIGHER METALLIC FINISHES ARE THE BRIGHTEST AND MOST SENSATIONAL OF THE IRIS FINISHES. THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE GREATER METAL CONTENT, BUT THEY ARE FABULOUS AND EXTREMELY STABLE.
PRECIOUS ELECTROPLATED BEADS (24K GOLD, STERLING SILVER, COPPER) ARE VERY STABLE, THOUGH THEY SHOULD BE HANDLED WITH CARE APPROPRIATE TO THEIR COST.