Sticky Stuff

sticky stuff  This is a solution of violin rosin in acetone. Acetone is used for its rapid drying time which means the string is ready for cotton after only a minute or so. The solution comes in a 15 ml bottle with brush .

  The main advantage of using liquid rosin is as a safe way to apply rosin to the string prior to the cotton. Rubbing the string with a rosin block probably causes more wear than anything else, particularly on the thin high d chanterelle.

The resulting fine and even coat of rosin ensures that the cotton wraps round easily and does not travel along the string as sometimes happens.

It can also be used on the wheel and once burnished, it gives a good shiny surface which lasts a long time.

  The bottles are available from me for £3.00p inc. ( + £ 2.70p UK p&p. )

Further details on application are included here: Sticky Stuff

 

Slippy Stuff

Following on from extended discussions on the hurdy-gurdy list, I decided to try out  Teflon powder as a dry lubricant for key slides. The results are spectacular, making many techniques such as trills and ornaments far more precise. It is also a great lubricant for the manivelle.

The only drawback seemed to be the difficulty of applying the powder without it getting everywhere . My solution is to create a suspension of 1.9 micron Teflon powder in white spirit which can  be applied using the built in paintbrush.

 The bottles are available from me for £3.00p ( + £2.70p UK p&p. )

Further details on application are included here:           

Slippy Stuff