When I worked for Jantzen Knitting Mills we were required to clip the thread near the spool, then tie it to the new thread with a surgeon's knot, and pull it all through the tension discs to keep them lint free. The increased size of the surgeon's knot pulls all lint from the tension discs was the way it was explained to me. All I know is I have never had any tension problems on any of my machines, so I guess it does work?