Tallow/Graphite/Bridges Question

[Gevaert Pierre]

Cocerning the bridge tops, indeed, (older?) European pianos often have no
graphite there, but I've heard that they used an other substance which is
invisible. Several persons told me they always (use to) put something on the
bridges.
If that is right, has anyone an  idea of what they could have used in the
past or maybe still now?
Pierre Gevaert,
Belgium.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2002 6:49 PM
Subject: Tallow/Graphite/Bridges Question


> Dale,
> The question: What do I suggest you put on the bridges? NOTHING! A lot of
> European Pianos have nothing on the top of their bridges and we oh and aw
> about them! I think we just got used to seeing something there, so have
> continued to do so. The lubricity of steel against hardwood is more than
> sufficient to render the tension throughout the length of the string,
IMHO.
> When I make bridges for other techs, do I put graphite on them? Yes. But
> only because it is expected and I am, after all, reproducing what was
> already there. The only reason to use a dark substance on a bridge is that
> it is easier to see where the termination point should be, when chiseling
> the termination.
> Regards,
> Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
>
>