breaking strings

[Frank Cahill]

Les Smith wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 7 Oct 1998, Frank Cahill wrote:
> 
> > Clyde Hollinger wrote:
> > >
> > > Friends:
> > >
> > > OK, so this piano is nothing special, for sure.  1956 K & C console.
> > > But when I went to tune it today, 3 (yes, that's THREE!)  single wound
> > > bass strings tore!  I was fit to be tied!  I HATE hearing them things go
> > > bang like that!
> > >
> > > One string was knotted by a previous tuner, and I had replaced one four
> > > years ago.  What is going on here?  No rust or anything, was tuned in
> > > 92, 93, 94, 96 and now 98, always in October.  Any ideas?  I'm afraid to
> > > touch the thing again.  One other oddity, if it's a clue; it's always
> > > 10-15 cents flat, unusual for a piano this age even if it IS tuned only
> > > every two years.
> > >
> > > Clyde Hollinger
> >
> >
> > Hey, if you bend metal enough, it breaks.  I'm convinced that if you
> > know how to tune (not a beginner), you can't do much about breaking
> > strings.  I've tried the "tune flat then bring it up" trick, and it's no
> > gaurantee.
> >
> > Of course, if you break more than one string on the same piano, the
> > customer is convinced it's your fault.  I lost a customer over this.
> > She liked my tuning, my attitude toward her family, her 6 year old loved
> > me...but when that second string broke, that was it.
> >
> > I guess I could have replaced the second strng for free, but let's
> > see..$14 for a string from Mapes and a second trip and install time,
> > plus lost income. One may argue that I should have bitten the bullet,
> > done the work for free, and kept the customer. But then they expect more
> > free work.
> > --
> >
> > Frank Cahill
> > Associate Member
> > Northern Va
> >
> 
> Clyde, Frank, List:
> 
> As has been posted here before, sometimes a drop or two of lubricant--
> applied witha toothpick, rather than a hypo-oiler, or small brush--can
> work wonders when the technician ecounters excessive friction at a
> bearing point.
> 
> Les Smith


Can you use the lube (I use liquid wrench) on the bass strings?  I'm
afraid that the lube will run down to the windings and cause more
trouble.
-- 

Frank Cahill
Associate Member
Northern Va