Same here, I bought 2 boxes of large threads on wooden spools at a garage sale. There was 24 spools total. All different colors including white, black, brown, green, blue, red, etc. They were $5.00 for each box. Now, when I got them home, I started testing one of them and found, yes, I had to take off some thread until it didn't break any more. Have put them in plastic bags as I get the old thread off, have been using them for the last 7 years. Still using them and after, I put them in the plastic bags, they all stay great (I think they had been in a closet for several years) and they make great quilts and my sewing machines love them.