Piano wire tensile strength

[Delwin D Fandrich]

I just read something in an old report I've been looking at that strikes me as
odd. Basically it says that piano builders put as many as three or four twists
in bass strings to increase the tensile strength of the core wire. 

Does this ring any bells? Does anyone know of a piano manufacturer doing this
(twisting bass strings this much)? Is anyone out there metallurgist enough to
know if there is any validity to this claim?

Del

Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Design & Fabrication
512 Hanna Avenue
Aberdeen, Washington 98520
USA
Phone  360.532-2563
Fax  360.537-1262
<mailto:fandrich@pianobuilders.com> 
<http://www.pianobuilders.com>