<html> Wire and other supplies can be purchased from Lutz via the following addresses and numbers: <a href="http://www.fortepiano.com/"= eudora="autourl">http://www.fortepiano.com/</a> workshhop@fortepiano.com The Instrument WorkshopP.O. Box 1060 (7793 Hwy. 66)Ashland, OR 97520Telephone: 541 552 0989 Toll free (US/Canada): 800 442 6038Fax: 541 488 5846 Strings quite often break where the string leaves the tuning pin coils.  A method told to me by a harpsichord maker when in a pinch is to use a large paper clip at the hitch pin loop.   Bend the paper clip straight, put two loops on each end as you would put in a single string hitchpin loop (don't forget to thread the clip through the existing loop on the old string first), and put the other end over the hitchpin.  It doesn't have to be pretty as it is functioning as a strong spacer.  You will get 2 - 3 inches more to play with at the tuning pin and will be able to get 3 - 5 windings around the pin (on a harpsichord).  A small paper clip may be all that can be used in the upper part of the scale before it interferes with the bridge.  The string is already stretched, and if the paper clip is pretty straight, tuning will not be the problem as it would be if a new string was used.  There are probably a lot of different ways to fasten an old string in this manner--some types of picture hanging supplies come to mind.  I have one string that still has the paper clip on and it is holding fine.  I also have a large and small paper clip in my harpsichord tool box with a loop on one end waiting for this type of inevitable breakage.  Blaine Vesely Kent, Ohio At 10:16 AM 11/25/02 -0500, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hi Avery, I tried twice to splice it and both times the wire broke where it crosses the loop, just as I got it almost to pitch.  We happened to have a few premade strings with loops from the manufacturer, and one of them was close enough to the correct diameter to use for the concert.  So, I replaced it. The performers created a break about halfway through the program and I went in and touched it up in my blue jeans and flannel shirt. (Had I known....) But we don't have a full compliment of replacement strings for our instruments, and I'm wondering the same thing you are.  Is there a source for bulk wire we can use?  We have altogether about 7 instruments which use brass, phosphor bronze and iron wire, and maybe it's just the piano technician in me being spoiled by having bulk wire available, but the way our budget works, it would seem more prepared, and maybe more cost effective to have rolls of wire handy. APSCO had brass wire coils it the catalog, but phfft, how much good is that now? One more question for the historical instrument pros out there.  How much thinning does this wire do in the stretching process and how much should we allow when micing the wire for replacement?  I couldn't find my micrometer yesterday (yeah, I found it AFTER the concert), and the wire I installed (the smallest we had) felt slightly larger than what came off, but after it stretched to pitch the difference didn't seem to be as much.  I still haven't measured the wire that came off, but I will before we order more wire, and I need to know how to do that in the future. Jeff >Hi Jeff, > >Well, what did you end up doing? :-) I'm actually asking this because of >your original post. We should be getting our new Fortepiano sometime >in the next six months or so and your post made me wonder about what to >do about this kind of thing. Are there sources, other than the builder, >where we can order wire to have on hand for this eventuality? We order >our replacement harpsichord strings to have on hand from the builders. > >Hopefully, I'll be retired before this type of thing starts happening >but just in case.......  :-) > >Thanks. >Avery > _______________________________________________ caut list info: <a href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" eudora="autourl">http= ://www.ptg.org/mailman/listinfo/caut</a> </blockquote> </html>