Corset stays or boning: Class Act Fabrics

If you are an historical costumer, living history reenactor or a renaissance garb maker, you will probably have had experience with trying to find the right thing to use as bones to stiffen your bodice or corset.

And if you do Great Dane ears, you will probably have had to search for the right thing to use as splints.

    These corset stays, also called bones or steel boning, are made in the US. They are steel coated with a hard white plastic. The ends are rounded and dipped in another coating of white plastic. I also have the 1/2" wide steel boning in 12 yard lengths....for steel hoops, hoop boning, hooping, whatever you would like to call it.
    Even if the corset stay ends are smooth and free from snags, the stays will work their way through the bottom or top of their pocket, or casing, if no extra space is allowed for movement.
    This happens most often when a great stress or strain is put upon a corset or bodice. (Like mine.)

To prevent this "tear out", make the pocket or stay casing with an half inch of extra space at the end. The same applies to the steel hoops for your hoop skirt. In addition to the extra space you should also pad the cut hoop ends so they aren't sharp.

Uncoated steel bones will rust over time due to damp air, sweat, washings, etc. Coated steel bones are more protected and won't rust under normal wear. However, the coating can be chipped, scratched or otherwise damaged and the exposed steel will rust. Another reason to cover the cut ends of hoop boning.
If you find that a corset stay has been scratched or the bare steel for some reason is showing, use clear nail polish or something similar to coat the bare steel before any problem starts. This chip or scratch can happen in manufacturing, in shipping, or even in your own storing of the stays... "no biggy". Don't use a water-based paint to coat bare steel.

In period, the corset was worn on top of a shift or chemise which protected the corset from body oil and sweat so the corset usually needed only an 'airing' rather than a washing. If you want to be able to wash your corset or bodice, you will want to remove the corset stays. I recommend that you make the casing or pocket with one end open and put several stay stitches or "tacks" at that open end (allowing your 1/2" space) to hold the stays in place between washings. (of course, you'd pre-shrink all the fabric before you made your corset or bodice if it is to be washable.........)

The historical times we recreate is where the old saying... "a stitch in time saves nine".... originated. Or the present day saying: "Proper prior planning prevents p**s poor performance."

-----------BONING CASING----------

WOVEN COTTON CASINGS.......
9/16" wide.....fits 1/4" flat and spiral stays.................................$ .75/yd.
3/4" wide.....fits 1/2" flat and other stay material.....................$ 1.05/yd
WHITE ONLY

NOW OFFERING A GROSS PRICE FOR CORSET STAYS
FOR ONE GROSS, MULTIPLY THE "PER DOZEN" PRICE BY 9 (NINE)...... example:
a gross of 6mm x 10" stays would be $2.45 x 9= $22.05
(one gross = 144 pieces)

-------------current price list ----------------------

      Stays are white plastic-coated steel with dipped, rounded ends. All stays are .014mm thick.
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         Stay length and price (each, for 6, for a dozen) for 6mm (1/4 inch approx. wide) stays:
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length in inches price each stay price for 6 stays price for dozen stays

4"	.15	.90	1.50
4 1/2"	.17	.94	1.65
5"	.17	.94	1.65
5 1/2"	.18	.99	1.75
6"	.18	1.02	1.80
6 1/2"	.19	1.08	1.90
7"	.20	1.14	1.95
7 1/2"	.21	1.18	2.05
8"	.21	1.22	2.10
8 1/2"	.22	1.25	2.20
9"	.23	1.27	2.30
9 1/2"	.24	1.32	2.40
10	.25	1.35	2.45
10 1/2"	.25	1.38	2.50
11"	.26	1.43	2.60
11 1/2"	.27	1.50	2.70
12"	.28	1.54	2.80
12 1/2"	.29	1.60	2.90
13"	.30	1.64	2.95
13 1/2"	.31	1.70	3.05
14"	.31	1.73	3.10
14 1/2"	.32	1.75	3.20
15"	.33	1.77	3.30
15 1/2"	.35	1.93	3.50
16 "	.37	2.02	3.70

18" .41 2.26 4.10
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Current price list
NEW: GROSS PRICE. Multiply the 'per doz' price by 9 (nine)....example:
if the gross price of 10" x 1/2" stays is $4.00 (per doz) x 9 = $36.00
(one gross = 144 pieces)

stay length and price (each, for 6, for a dozen) for approx. 1/2"wide stays:
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length in inches price each stay price for 6 stays price for dozen stays

4"	.21	1.22	2.10
5"	.25	1.38	2.50
5 1/2"	.26	1.43	2.60
6"	.28	1.50	2.80
6 1/2"	.29	1.60	2.90
7"	.31	1.70	3.05
7 1/2"	.33	1.75	3.25
8"	.34	1.88	3.40
8 1/2"	.36	1.98	3.60
9"	.37	2.02	3.70
9 1/2"	.39	2.13	3.85
10	.40	2.22	4.00
10 1/2"	.42	2.33	4.20
11"	.43	2.38	4.30
11 1/2"	.45	2.50	4.50
12"	.47	2.58	4.65
12 1/2"	.49	2.69	4.85
13"	.50	2.75	4.95
13 1/2"	.52	2.88	5.20
14"	.53	2.95	5.30
14 1/2"	.55	3.05	5.50
15"	.57	3.16	5.70
15 1/2"	.59	3.27	5.90
16 "	.60	3.33	6.00

18" .66 3.66 6.60
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Sizes not listed are not in stock and must be special ordered in five gross minimums.

In stock: a coil of 1/2" wide boning. 12 yards for $12.50. Cuts by the yard for $1.10/yd. (5 yds for $5.50, etc.). (I do not cut longer than 12 yd coils. The physical manipulation of that much spring steel is beyond my small operation capability. The next size up is a $675.00+ for a 50 lb coil. )
This is the same coated steel stock in a continuous length: cut in 12 yard lengths so you can make your own hoop skirts. Use a pair of tin snips to cut this to the length you want, file the cut edge to remove the sharp edges and corners, dip in a rubber 'tool grip' liquid or an enamel or non-water base paint for metal to prevent rusting in damp situations or cover ends with tape. Then when you make your hoop skirt, make the boning channels with an open end so you can remove the hoop when your petticote needs washing.
You can also get plastic tubing that fits over the ends from a hardware store, cut a 2" piece of the tubing and stick both ends of the hoop boning into it. This keeps the circle shape, keeps the ends from rubbing the fabric and makes it easy to "undo" to remove the steel so you can wash the fabric.
* Handy hint: to compactly store or carry your "hoops", let the hoops collapse on the floor, grab all the hoops on one side of the waist hole with one hand and all on the other side with your other hand and twist once so you have a figure "8". Then fold the top circle of the figure 8 over onto the bottom circle. If you have an old pillow case you can use that as a ready made storage bag.

I have discovered I must implement a handling charge increase. I'm sorry but I must do it to cover costs. If you'd like to pre-figure the handling, multiply the total cost of the stays by .045 and add a dime. That will put you in the really close ballpark. The minimum handling charge will be 50 (fifty) cents. Maximum handling charge will be $3.50.

I usually mail the stays priority class. If they are short enough, quite a lot of them will fit the flat cardboard priority mailer and that is only $4.60. If they are too long for that I usually mail them parcel post or priority, whichever is a better deal.

You have the option of insurance (up to $50) for $1.65. I will add insurance unless you specifically tell me not to. It is not very much for the security it provides.

E-mail me if you have any questions: Linda(at)classactfabrics(dot)com . Heck, email me anyway! ;)

updated 3/12/2008