C-Lon Bead Cord vs S-Lon Bead Cord - What's the Difference and How Do the Colors Compare

Switching from S-Lon to C-Lon can be tricky as S-Lon renamed many colors... But let's be clear C-Lon originated the colors, S-Lon mimicked. The S-Lon colors are not new and different colors even if the names are new or changed. Watch for switcheroos such Aqua-Ice Blue, with Ice Blue by S-Lon closer to Steel (see 3rd image) and occasional dye lot shifts  such Milk Chocolate-Chestnut, with SLBC-CH darker than CLC-CST.

 

Marion Jewels in Fiber has been stocking and selling C-Lon Bead Cord since January 2006. Why do we also now stock some S-Lon as well although the colors are the same? About a year ago one of our customers sent us a chart of the possible color equivalents across the two competing brands of US made bonded nylon cord. We are now following up to see how the two brands, C-Lon and S-Lon intersect. 

Why did we pursue this now...

1. Customers have been contacting us looking for color equivalents looking for a C-Lon color corresponding to an S-Lon color they bought in another store or for colors no longer in production. 

2. Due to global supplies disruption, some C-Lon colors have been out of stock for a longer period of time. Finding an equivalent across the brands becomes necessary for higher volume customers with immediate production needs who can not wait for a color to be back in stock. 

For a bit of history on these two brands

Visit one of our earlier post on the subject here: https://jewelsinfiber.blogspot.com/2010/02/c-lon-versus-s-lon.html. Now as of summer 2022, after spending time comparing the 2 brands, S-Lon produces less colors than previously while C-Lon continues their production with the same amount of colors as in our last survey. 

Here the dye lots between the brands are amazingly similar,
however watch for name changes.

Summer 2022 - C-Lon

• 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 39 yd spool
• 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 92 yd spool
• 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 50 and 136 yd spools
• 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 100 and 320 yd spools

C-Lon checks the thread quality, for looks dye lot divergences, rejecting colors that are too far off, and generally does a great job at quality control.

Summer 2022 - S-Lon

• 30 Colors of S-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 35 yd spool
• 96 Colors of S-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 77 yd spool
• 11 Colors of S-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 118 yd spool
• 17 Colors of S-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 262 yd spool

S-Lon does not check the thread and dye quality, nor look for dye lot divergences, so sometimes colors are quite off the original color. Also they are in the process of discontinuing colors and as the numbers of colors shrinks, finding C-Lon equivalents becomes more important if you want to design with a fuller color palette.  

Watch for the switcheroos and dye lot shift such as SLBC-LBR is the equivalent CLC-L Latte but shifted 1/4 step towards CLC-BLS Blush, or SLBC-IB dareker than CLC-STL

Difference between the brands

 • Both cord brands are made in the same factory, but the actual output is not always the same as to spool sizes and quality control.  
• Color names are different and can lead to difficulty when switching from one brand to another. 
• Some C-Lon colors do not have an S-Lon equivalent. One S-Lon color does not have an C-Lon equivalent and it may be due to a bad dye lot batch from the factory or it is a distinct color. 

Access to the PDFs
These are spreadsheets sorted by color codes. The colors in bold fonts have been compared with actual spools side by side. The one's in regular text are best guesses. I just received a shipment with more S-Lon Bead Cord to compare and got a few surprises. The color charts and spreadsheets have been updated, today, August 15, 2022.  

1. PDF - Compare C-Lon Colors to S-Lon Colors. Sorted by the C-Lon Color Codes

2. PDF - Compare S-Lon Colors to C-Lon Colors. Sorted by the S-Lon Color Codes

The 2 PDFs have the same information, however they are sorted differently. If you are looking to transition from an S-Lon color to a C-Lon colors and you know the color name, use the #2 PDF. If you do not know the color name, send a snippet in an envelope with your name and email address to Marion Jewels in Fiber, PO Box 6776, Chico CA 95928. We will identify it for you and reply by email.

Here the same info minus the notes on color charts. The colors compared side by side are in regular font, the best guesses in lighter grey. When the S-Lon color is left blank, there is no equivalent currently available or known by us.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF. That's page 1.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF and that's page 2.  

 To order C-Lon Bead Cord, go here:

> 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter
> 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter
> 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter
> 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter  

Thank you for reading this post. Contact Marion or leave a comment if you have more info or questions on comparing colors across the brands. We hope this post will make it easier for you to get the colors you are looking for!

 

 

Cleaning and Restoring C-Lon Bead Cord Jewelry

This is one of the bracelet I kept for my personal collection. It is a Multi Strand Bracelet with a square knot slide closure made with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord and 4mm Titanium Coated Rainbow Hematite Beads. I wear it a lot, it's colorful and fun to wear. A few weeks ago while vacuuming my room, I heard a bunch of clinks... that sounded like beads being vacuumed up...

Sure enough, when I emptied the vacuum in a garbage bag,

the bracelet was there... but is was filthy. 

Cleaning Steps 

Wash the piece with soap and warm water,

and rinse it under running water. 

Let the piece dry on a clean towel.

Now it's ready to wear. 

If after you wash it, you still notice that the cord is a bit greyed out, or clouded over, or you see some whitening of the cord especially noticeable on darker cord, then cleaning is not enough, add the restoration step. 

Restoration for Bonded Nylon Cord

For all C-Lon Bead Cord (all 4 sizes), Tuff Bead Cord, D&E Bonded Nylon, or any of the older brands of bonded nylon #18 such as Conso or Mastex. 

Take some isopropyl alcohol, soak it in a lint free cloth such as an eyeglasses cleaning cloth, rub the cord, and let it dry. Make sure to lay the piece in its proper position as this also blocks the piece. 

This final step with the alcohol restore the bond transparency and the restore cord memory. The bond is softened by the alcohol and dries again fully transparent once the alcohol evaporates. The cord will naturally return to the position it had when the alcohol dried.  

Bond - What is it? The bond is a polymer clear coat added to the cord after the nylon fibers have been dyed and twisted into a 3-ply cord. The coated cord is baked in ovens. Quality control is important along this process. A properly applied bond adds a clear coat that holds the fiber together and make the cord abrasion resistant.  

I usually do not vacuum my jewelry, this was a first time event, and the perfect incentive to share and illustrate the cleaning process.  These are the steps I take when cleaning my personal jewelry, or when someone send me a piece for repair that needs it too. 

Interested in making this bracelet? > Multi Strand Bracelets

Necklace Cord for the Knotted Beaded Charms

To make the necklace cord for the knotted bead charm, you will need the following:

–> 1mm Chinese Knotting Cord

–> 1.5 mm Sterling Silver or Gold Filled Clasp

–>  Poly Zap Super Glue

–> Thread Burner

–> Chain Nose Pliers

For longer cords and smaller charms, I like to use a thinner Chinese Knotting Cord, so look at the New Fine and Fine size, and even the Extra Fine size as possible options. Or choose a thicker Chinese Knotting Cord such as the HDQ weight cords for a heavier charm. 

Or forgo the clasp and use a square knot slide closure. That's the same closure used for the Square Knot Bracelet Trio. 

–> Square Knot Bracelet Trio Kits and Tutorials

Go to the previous post for the tutorial on how to make the Knotted Bead Charm. 

Here are some bracelet - beaded charm combo, I like...

Gold Halo Beads, with Hematite Bead Centers

Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

Charm knotted with C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex 135

Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

All Hematite, with Pearlescent White Hematite Beads
Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord
Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord
Necklace cord made with New Fine 201 Pearl Grey Chinese Knotting Cord

Bracelets made with Gunmetal Halo Beads, and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads, knotted with Chinese Coral, Pink Lemonade and Charcoal C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord.

Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord, with Hematite Ring Beads and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads.
Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

Comparing C-Lon Micro Cord and Tuff Bead Cord Size 1

A customer just asked me a question wanting to compare some colors of C-Lon Micro Colors and Tuff Bead Cord Size 1. Here is the first picture in this series. I will keep adding more pictures as time allows. 

CLMC = C-Lon Micro Cord Tex 70
TUFF= Tuff Bead Cord - Size 1

As to diameter and texture, both cords feel the same. Tuff may have a bit more bond. 

The official diameter of the Tuff Bead Cord Size 1 is 0.274mm whereas C-Lon Micro Cord official diameter is 0.115mm, but visually they seem very similar. The difference between these two measurements might just be because two different companies did the measuring and measuring diameter is not accurate as the thread is soft and might be compressed when measured. 

Because of this problem of compression, thread company do not usually measure thread by its diameter, but by its weight. The Tex system which is adopted widely, but not universally measures the thread by weight, grams for 1 kilometer of thread. thus 1 km of Micro Cord weight 70 gr. But Tuff does not provide Tex numbers for its cord. According to my calculations, it should be around Tex 78... so just a tad thicker than C-Lon Micro Cord. 

C-Lon Micro Cord come in 32 colors. Tuff bead Cord in 16. So that a total of 48 colors. Here are the first 7. I hope this will help refine your choices! - Marion

Links

–> C-Lon Micro Cord

–> Tuff Bead Cord

New C-Lon Bead Cord Colors - July 2015

C-Lon July 2015 Colors: Aurum, Medium Brown, Green Olive, and Venetian Red.

Compare C-Lon Bead Cord Aurum to other Gold Tones

Aurum, the Latin name for gold, is the new gold tone. It is a great addition to the gold tones and yellow range. Here it is, surrounded by Lemon and Golden Yellow (at bottom), Light Maize & Marigold (on left), Gold (on right), Tan & Antique Gold (on top).  

Medium Brown, in the midst of the other brown tones, with at top: Latte, Sable and Brown, then continuing in a clockwise fashion, Chocolate, Sepia, Antique Brown, then Cocoa, more of a grayish taupe… and finally Mahogany, a reddish brown. 

Here is Medium Brown, next to Sable. It shows the tone and value difference between the two. 

Green Olive, the newest olive green addition, is greener than Olive and darker than Olivine… Compare it to Myrtle Green (at top), Chartreuse (left), Peridot, Fern, and Green (above) and Forest Green (on right), and Olivine and Olive (below).

Venetian Red, a perfect lower saturated red that reminds us of natural earth clay tinted by iron oxide, the interior of palaces in Venice, or the murals of Pompeii… is surrounded clockwise starting on left with Black Current, Sienna, Copper Rose, Chinese Coral, Shanghai Red, Red-Hot and Red.

I am truly amazed to have so many colors to work with!

> Shop for C-Lon Bead Cord

> See the New C-Lon Bead Cord June Colors

C-Lon Bead Cord - How to Identify Colors

As the collection grows, it is getting more and more difficult to keep track of some of the colors without some kind of reference. Here are some suggestions that might help to keep track of your colors.

At first, here is how you will receive your order if you place it with marion jewels in fiber online store:

… in plastic bags with a label with cord type and name tags

… in a cardboard box

When ordering 5 spools or more, you will get them in a box. The back row of the box is packed first from left to right, then the front row also from left to right. If the colors are obvious no label will be included. You will need to figure out which color is which based on your packing slip.

… in a cardboard box with a label

If the colors are too close to be easily identified, a label is affixed with color names codes. These codes are listed on your packing slip or invoice, the website, and the color chart.

So now, you know what colors you just got, but the challenge is how to keep track of these colors especially with a group such as the one above once you start playing around with them…

Get an Official Color Card Set

C-Lon Bead Cord Color Sample Cards

104 cards have actual samples of each color of the C-Lon Bead Cord. Plus 4 cards are size comparison cards with Micro Cord, Tex 135 Fine Weight, standard or regular Bead Cord and the heavyweight Tex 400. Each card has about a yard of cord.

They are organized in alphabetical order by codes and bound in 4 sets. Each group is attached by a plastic tie.

Actual cards are 2 1/4 inches by 2 1/2 inches (5.7 cm x 6.3 cm). $45.00 a Set > Get one

These color sample cards represent a tremendous amount of work by C-Lon and minimal mark-up all around, well a labor of love at the $45.00 price for 108 cards. New colors get added, but with a bit of a delay... The Neons are in. The New Colors as of June 2015 have not been added in yet.

Print a Color Chart and Add Actual Samples

Printed C-Lon Color Charts

Photographed with customer right at the show. Thank you!

A customer came to a show armed with these color charts. This way she had a record for the colors already had, plus she had marked the one that needed to be re-purchased…  Actual samples of the cord stapled in a butterfly fashion is a brilliant idea!

Spools can be compared to the chart and the actual cord sample for identification. All the C-Lon Bead Cord sizes have now a printable version of the color chart. Just look for the 'Print Color Chart' link, then print them and overtime as you add more colors to your collection fill in the squares. Haha, that sounds like lotto.

These were printed on photo paper and placed into clear sheet protectors. If you do not have a printer, the color charts could be printed at a copy place from the PDFs online. Most copy/printers nowadays can access a file online.

Add Tags to the Spools

Tags for C-Lon Bead Cord

Another customer sent me this picture a few weeks back… She described how she did it and I duplicated the mini-tags below. Thank you for the fabulous idea!

Code on one side

Take an address label. Cut it in 1/2 length-wise, leaving it attached to the back of the label paper. Write the color name in the top quarter facing the top edge. Write the code on the next quarter facing the long side. Remove it from the backing, fold the top quarter back onto itself. Fold the label into a small tube and insert inside the center hole of the spool. Once in, flatten the label with a knitting needle, crochet hook handle or whatever you have on hand with a thin long cylinder. Hey it sounds way more complicated than it actually is. It really is very easy to do. Just wait for the ink to dry before folding the label. I smeared mine… 

Full name on the other side

The spools can be stored with their little tags sideways in the boxes, on wood rack, or in plastic boxes, I tried them on my wood rack, and yes it works. The actual length of the tags could be fine tuned to minimize their heights.

The large bobbin box I carry for C-Lon Bead Thread Size D & AA,  plus KO or Miyuki Beading Thread will hold 12 spools of C-Lon Bead Cord in ant for the 4 sizes with enough extra space for the name tags on the spools. I will add a picture of the box filled with C-Lon Spools as soon as I can.

In addition to these solutions,  I have also encountered customers with notebooks with snippet of cord attached with names and date of purchase. I am very fond of all these homegrown solutions. 

Let me know if you have any other suggestions. The professionals thus far early on thought of complicated and expensive solutions such as plastic canisters for each spools. Or a longer plastic tube for several spools, so each time you needed a color, you had to dump everything out to get the color you needed…. I found all of these attempts to be a waste of time and money, plus they were not environmentally friendly. 

Please reuse or recycle plastic bags, and/or cardboard boxes sent with your order. Grocery stores have recycling for plastic bags. Most places nowadays have curb recycling for cardboard. Thanks ;)

Other post you might be interested in...

> C-Lon Bead Cord - Comparing Sizes

> Storing C-Lon Bead Cord

> C-Lon versus S-Lon (SuperLon)

New C-Lon Bead Cord Colors - June 2015

C-Lon just released 4 new colors. How do they compare with existing colors? What's their values, their hues, and their saturation levels? 

I will try to answers these questions by comparing them with existing colors in a picture form. 

Copper Rose is an amazing color and the perfect answer if you are looking for a soft copper tone with a Southwest feel. On my computer this jpeg rendition looks pretty good when compared with the real spool, but keep in mind that browsers and screens all have their own rendition of colors...

As to the real cord color, it is a fine addition and I can't wait to work with it!

Copper Rose is right in between Sea Shell, Ginger, Sienna & Black Currant

Here is Copper Rose (CPR, yes it is ready to come and help, haha) in the center surrounded by the colors listed in the picture above, plus on top: Peach Glow, Pink Lemonade, Chinese Coral.
Below: Wine, the a bit lower, Rose, Cerise, and Eggplant.

Myrtle Green compared to Fern and Sage… 

The greens, Myrtle Green just arrived, Cypress Green will arrive next month, but I already have a sample spool… so mere is a outline of the major payers in the green field… Did that sound like a joke?

Myrtle Green is in, right at the top, a bluish green. It is a great addition. Cypress Green is in the lower area, greener than Olive, darker than Olivine, lighter and more olive than Forest Green.

Now let's move on to the Oranges...

Popsicle Orange is a bright orange, that will work well with the colors above, Peach Gold, Tangerine, Orange, and Shanghai Red, plus Light Copper. In addition it will bridge Golden Yellow and Orange.

The next color is the oddest color I have ever seen, as it reacts to light in unusual way. It is a hot pink in most light condition, but with light hitting it at the right angle it becomes redder… 

Fluo Hot pink get a reddish cast depending on the angle of the light… It is quite complex even when compared with Poinsettia, a slightly fluorescent color and Neon Pink

Here you can see 2 spools of FHP reacting differently to the same ambient light, The spool on the left stays hot pink, where as the one on the lower right becomes redder on the edges. The spool on the top right, Poinsettia, is a semi fluorescent color. Poinsettia is quite as reactive to light as Fluo Hot Pink.

Next month, in July, 4 other colors are coming in, Aurum, Medium Brown, Green Olive & Venetian Red. Then in August & September, these same colors will also become available in the Tex 400 Bead Cord Size. At least that's the plan. 

I am truly amazed to have so many colors to work with!

> Shop for C-Lon Bead Cord

> Sign up for Newsletters to hear the latest news and tips. 

C-Lon Bead Cord - Comparing Sizes

C-Lon Bead Cord - 4 Sizes in Orchid

C-Lon Bead Cord comes in 4 sizes. All the spools are 4 cm tall (1.57 inch) other than the Tex 400 spool a bit shorter at 3.8mm tall. Actual diameters of the spools vary a bit depending on how tightly the spooling machine is winding the cord onto the spool. The spools are measured by actual yardage, not by weight nor by the diameter of the spool. 

C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord ~ Ø 0.9 mm - The heaviest size, thickest cord. 116 colors.

C-Lon Bead Cord - Tex 210 ~ Ø 0.5 mm - 115 colors. The standard size called plain C-Lon Bead Cord, with no attributes. Often referred as Macrame Nylon #18, an appellation of older brands of upholstery bonded nylon such as Conso Nylon #18, Robinson Nylon #18, Mastex Nylon #18 and Macraworld Nylon #18 which used to be the standard size of bonded nylon used for macrame for jewelry making and for upholstery all the way back to the 1970's. Now the standard size for micro- macrame. 

C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord - Tex 135 ~ Ø 0.4 mm - In between the standard size and the micro size. 61 colors for now.

C-Lon Micro Bead Cord - Tex 70 ~ Ø 0.3 mm - The finest weight. 48 colors for now. Please note the card shown below has the wrong size it listed the inch size instead of the mm size!

The Tex 400 spools are easy to identify as they are shorter than the other ones. You can identify your spools by looking at the crossing of the cord on the spool and by feeling the cord diameter. 

Not sure what you'd like… Contact Marion & ask for a sample! 

The sample card will have a piece of each cord size about 1/2 a meter/yard long:

Micro - Oyster

Fine - Teal

C-Lon Bead Cord - Black

Tex 400 - Orchid

If you want a thinner cord than the C-Lon Micro Cord, several mono cords are available, C-Lon Bead Thread Size D, C-Lon Bead Thread Size AA and KO Beading Cord. These are 1 ply threads with filaments that are parallel, not twisted into 2-ply or 3-ply cords such as the C-Lon Bead Cords. 

Compare Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015 with C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Just for fun, lets find the C-Lon Bead Cord colors equivalent to the Pantone Fall of 2015 fashion colors. As you can see below the Pantone fall colors vary a bit in their rendition between pictures, so it is always an interpretation. Plus we all see colors a bit differently. Vive la difference, right!

C-Lon Bead Cord Colors to Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015

OLVN Olivine —> Dried Herb

CEL Celadon —> Desert Sage

GR Grey, DEN Denim —> Stormy Weather

DKT Dark Tan —> Oak Bluff

SI Sienna —> Marsala

CER Cerulean —> Biscay Bay

N Navy, MA Marina, CHA Charcoal —> Reflecting Pond

TN Tangerine —> Cadmium Orange

AZ Azalea —> Cashmere Rose - Oops Azalea might a bit off, Petal might be better

AM Amethyst, O Orchid —> Amethyst Orchid

Azalea

Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015 to C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Dried Herb —> OLVN Olivine 

Desert Sage —> CEL Celadon

Stormy Weather —> GR Grey, DEN Denim

Oak Bluff —> DKT Dark Tan

Marsala —> SI Sienna - That's the color of the year. Another option is Black Currant...

--------------------------------------------

Biscay Bay —> CER Cerulean

Reflecting Pond —> N Navy, MA Marina, CHA Charcoal 

Cadmium Orange —> TN Tangerine

Cashmere Rose —> AZ Azalea - Oops Azalea might a bit off, Petal might be better

Amethyst Orchid —> AM Amethyst, O Orchid

As to the importance of these colors, who knows, but many fashion items will be available in stores in these colors. Then someone might be looking to accessorize these items and will be looking for something that will work with these colors, so being aware of the latest fashion colors promoted by industry is not such a bad idea. 

In California, I have found when I was doing lots of shows that there was a delay between the latest fashion and interest in a particular color. Plus some colors that were "promoted" never caught on… Others colors remained classics always in demand. 

—> C-Lon Bead Cord

Comparing Thread Burners, Zappers & Sealers

Top - Super Max Burner/Pen. Middle - Ultra Zap. Bottom - Thread Zap II

Thread burners, zappers and sealers are great tools to have around when working with thread and cord. They can be used on synthetic cord & thread, such as nylon and some natural fibers such as silk. I use mine mainly for micro macrame, Cavandoli knotting, square knotting, Shambhala bracelets, kumihimo, bead crochet and various beading techniques, such as crown knotting, pearl knotting and peyote stitch, but it is certainly not limited to these techniques nor to jewelry making. 

When a thread burner is used to cut thread & cord, it cauterizes the cord and keep the ends from unravelling. When used for melting the end of cord right at the knot, it prevents the final knot from getting untied. It is important to melt the end of the cord into the knot rather than melting the actual knot as it would weaken its integrity. The precise tips of these thread burners makes this process a lot easier than a match or cigarette lighter. 

To test these thread burners, I put in all new alcalyne batteries, all from the same brand and quality level. The Super Max Burner has 2 AA batteries, the Thread Zap II, 1 AA, and the Ultra Thread Zap, 2 AAAs.

When compared for speed, or how quickly they get red hot, the Super Max Burner is the clear winner getting to red hot in less than a second with its full tip red hot. The Ultra Thread Zap takes twice as long to get to its maximum temperature, and only the little tip part gets red hot. The Thread Zap II takes 3-4 seconds to get to its maximum temperature, with about half of its tip red hot. 

The Super Max Burner reaches the highest temperature. The other two burners don't get as hot and take longer to get there. 

Tips smaller to larger, top to bottom:  Ultra Thread Zap, Super Max, Thread Zap II

Replacement Tips - Notice that the replacement tip for the SuperMax is a bit smaller than the original tip

 Ergonomically, the most comfortable one is clearly the new Ultra Thread Zap. It fits comfortably in the hand. It does not need a cover to protect the tip as the tip retracts when off. It is turned on by pushing the orange knob forward. An orange plastic half ring prevents the knob from getting accidentally pushed. That part might get easily lost, but it is not essential.

The Super Max has a cover to protect the tip when not in use and to prevent the burner from getting accidentally turned on. The Thread Zap II is similar to the SuperMax, but the knob does not move a lot, making it difficult to feel when the tool is turned on.

The Ultra Thread Burner comes with an extra tip housed inside the battery compartment

The SuperMax is the best for the busy designer. The new Ultra has some of the best features. The Thread Zap II is the easiest on the wallet, though with the extra tip, the Ultra might be the better choice.

The ultimate choice will also depend on what size/diameter cord you are working with. The Ultra Thread Zap is probably better for thinner cord and fine thread used for Peyote stitch and bead weaving whereas the SuperMax will be best with Chinese Knotting Cord of diameter upward of 1mm as it will take more heat to get a clean melt.

NOTES
For safety, remove the battery or the tip when storing. Keep away from children.

These tools work well when finishing a limited number of thread as each individual thread,cord needs to melted one at a time. May leave discoloration especially with light colored thread or cord.

Change the batteries often and let the tip cut or melt without forcing to keep the tip from getting damaged.

And foremost be careful not to melt or burn your work!

Regardless of which of these tools you choose, any of these thread burners will be much better and more precise than a cigarette lighter or matches. I consider them a necessity for many techniques, especially for square knot slides and Shambhala bracelets.  >  Get a thread burner now! 

March 2016: A new cord burner, the Cord Zap by BeadSmith was just released. The Cord Zap gets to the hottest temperature the fastest. It requires 2 AA batteries, not included, and uses the same tip as the Thread Zap II. 

I just used the Cord Zap on a set a bracelets made with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord. The Cord Zap worked very well, it gets to red-hot super fast and was great for melting 3 Tex 400 cords at once into final overhand knots and single cords into square knot sliders. The batteries gets used up faster than with the other thread burners, so I had to switch batteries several times. The tip also had to be replaced after 10 bracelets. It burned off due to the high heat.

The Supermax Thread Burner is not quite a battery hog and tips last a lot longer, but it does not gets quite as hot as quickly, so yes next time I am in a production mode on a tight deadline, I will probably reach for the Cord Zap first. If you get a Cord Zap, get extra replacement tips! - Marion