The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Let me hazard a guess: because they'd sound like crap. Like all those "plastic" clarinet, sax, oboe, and bassoon reeds.

Guess no. 2: market for such is too insignificant, in the great scheme of things. There just aren't that many of us, compared with, say, users of toothbrushes.

!

Henry wrote:Let me hazard a guess: because they'd sound like crap. Like all those "plastic" clarinet, sax, oboe, and bassoon reeds.

Guess no. 2: market for such is too insignificant, in the great scheme of things. There just aren't that many of us, compared with, say, users of toothbrushes.

Why would they have to sound like crap? That's what engineering is for, right?

John M

Here is a suitable cactus needle sharpener...A BCN one if im not mistaken (or at least something similar)

Needle sharpener

Here is one with a box and hopefully instructions

BCN sharpener

RJ

JohnM wrote:
Why would they have to sound like crap? That's what engineering is for, right?

John M

Isn't that what they said at GM?

Henry wrote:

JohnM wrote:
Why would they have to sound like crap? That's what engineering is for, right?

John M

Isn't that what they said at GM?

Also what they said at TAE, Inc. isn't it?

I've had whale ivory needles that worked extremely well, even with multiple plays between sharpening. Sharpening was just a stroke or two on emery paper. Surely there is a plastic with the same hardness/density/whatever of ivory? Or how about ceramic needles that 'never need sharpening'?

Just trying to think outside the (sound)box here . . . maybe American industry wouldn't be in such big trouble if us Philistines were running the show!

John M

Henry wrote:Guess no. 2: market for such is too insignificant, in the great scheme of things. There just aren't that many of us, compared with, say, users of toothbrushes.

If the market can justify the continuous production of steel needles for 122 years now, why would squeezing some plastic through a die or whatever be such a huge ordeal? Meese Orbitron Dunne does it right up the hill from me all day long for god knows how many customers. There doesn't seem to be any similar objection to remaking bamboo or cactus thorn needles. There are more collectors now than ever before! I would think there would be a huge market for the 'perfect needle'.

John M

I think some sort of plastic needle should be possible too, but whether the right type of plastic would be cost effective compared to steel is another story.
The greenies would probably on our backs for using them too

I consider myself a "greenie", and while I try to avoid having superfluous plastic in my home, my greatest plastics objection is to wasteful packaging and stupid unnecessary items. The amount of plastic used to produce needles would be small compared to so many other things, and they would be useful.

John M

gramophoneshane wrote:I think some sort of plastic needle should be possible too, but whether the right type of plastic would be cost effective compared to steel is another story.

If the plastic needle is good for multiple plays and is re-sharpenable, the cost per play should be comparable to steel and perhaps surpass it.

John M