Editing Flax (section)

=== Processing ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2021}}
[[File:Hatchel of the Bugg Family.jpg|thumb|A hackle or heckle, a tool for threshing flax and preparing the fiber]]
[[File:58-aspetti di vita quotidiana,abbigliamento lino,Taccuino Sa.jpg|thumb|upright|Flax tissues, [[Tacuinum sanitatis]], 14th century]]
[[Threshing]] is the process of removing the seeds from the rest of the plant. Separating the usable flax fibers from other components requires pulling the stems through a hackle and/or beating the plants to break them.

Flax processing is divided into two parts: the first part is generally done by the farmer, to bring the flax fiber into a fit state for general or common purposes. This can be performed by three machines: one for threshing out the seed, one for breaking and separating the straw (stem) from the fiber, and one for further separating the broken straw and matter from the fiber.

The second part of the process brings the flax into a state for the very finest purposes, such as [[lace]], [[cambric]], [[damask]], and very fine [[linen]]. This second part is performed by a refining machine.