A Matter of Tension

I set my fingers against the handle of an open desk drawer. Inside rested a small spool of heavy black linen thread, threaded loosely through a brass binder clip. Such tension systems are essential in backstage rigging. I carefully grasped the loose end of the cord and pulled it taut across the corner of the polished mahogany desk. When I adjusted the clip's spring clasp, the line remained perfectly rigid under pressure. An orderly, well-calibrated fixture.