What is tow?

What Does tow Mean

The term estopa , derived from the Latin word stuppa , is used with different meanings. The thick part of hemp or flax and the fabric that is produced with the yarn of the tow is called tow.

Also, in some regions , the fiber that remains of the fruits when the juice is squeezed and the filaments that appear in certain woods after working are called tow .
With the tow that comes from cotton , for example, rags are often produced that are used for cleaning and drying. This tow has a great absorption capacity and is used at the home level, as well as in mechanical workshops, laboratories, service stations and other establishments.

Bast, on the other hand, is used in the field of plumbing (plumbing). This vegetal fiber allows to join the threaded pieces and is very useful to install a circuit of pipes. Due to its properties , the bast works as a natural insulator and prevents dripping and losses.
Beyond its usefulness, the use of tow has now lost popularity as people prefer Teflon . This synthetic substance is used as an adhesive tape, which facilitates its application.
Despite the success of Teflon, since tow is cheaper and more practical to apply, many people still prefer it to join threaded parts in the traditional way and solve the assembly of a pipe circuit in less time and with less money. When we place tow on the threads of the points that join the different sections of a pipe, it becomes an ideal insulator so that water does not leak.
When placing the tow we must make sure that the threads are distributed evenly, tightening them properly in the direction of the thread. The reason for such precautions is to avoid that the filaments pile up or become entangled when adjusting the system , since if this happens the water would sooner or later escape through a hole, and the filtration would wear the material until the situation becomes unsustainable.
Another thing to keep in mind when applying the tow is to make sure there is no rust on the joint. To prevent their formation, experts recommend using minium (aka tetroxide lead or red lead ).
Bast is also used to polish wax , with results comparable to professional treatments. When we wax a wooden surface and we want to give it a perfect finish, we must follow these steps:
* leave the wood free of any product that prevents the absorption of the wax . If it had already been waxed, we can use a stripper, for example;

* sand the surface with a sandpaper block so that the pores of the wood open up and the wax can penetrate more easily;
* put some wax on a cotton cloth and use it to rub the surface in circular motions;
* Before polishing the wax with the tow making movements similar to the previous ones, we must wait approximately 20 minutes;
* repeat these last two steps a maximum of four times, until the desired results are obtained.
Finally, Estopa is a Spanish pop rock group led by the brothers José Manuel and David Muñoz . The group was created in 1999 in Cornellá de Llobregat and that same year their first album was presented, entitled precisely “Estopa” .
The album "Estopa" was a huge success , with sales of more than one million copies. Songs like “La raja de tu fallo” and “Tu calorro” made Estopa one of the most famous musical groups in Spain .