fiber or bamboo needles

[JohnM]

Then let's make them the same color as bamboo originals (although my whale ivory needles are more white).

[OrthoFan]

I'd just like to see some documentation or citation contemporary with the manufacture of original fibre needles that states that they are wax impregnated. The how-to article is anecdotal.

Hi John:

The reference to the use of paraffin wax actually came from Mark Best's Victrola Music Message Board about eight or more years ago. I remember because I was the one who originally posted it there after I came across the reference in the Mechanical Music Digest:




Making Fiber Phonograph Needles
By Bruce Clark

Several years ago, we had some neighbors who told a story about their
father making fiber needles for phonographs.

The family were very clever and industrious craftsman, including the
two daughters. In 1901 the father started a woodworking company which
produced "Cayuga League" baseball bats, and hardwood handles for tools.
They had no electricity and depended upon a steam engine to power their
machinery.

According to their elderly daughter, who remembers being an assistant
to her father, he also made fiber needles for phonographs. These were
made from bamboo. The bamboo was cut lengthwise, in a triangular
strips, and then simmered in paraffin wax. After this process, the
"needles" were cut in small strips, and inserted in a small mechanical
sharpener, which cut the ends on a slant and produced a sharp point.
Before this woman passed on, she gave me this little cutting device,
which I still have.

According to these old timers, the bamboo needles produced a mellow
soft tone, and were supposed to cause less wear on the records.

Bruce Clark


FROM: http://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digest ... 27.12.html

Dan G, later, used this information to put together his set of instructions.

I'm wondering if anyone has come across Victor's patent for the needles. That would probably indicate whether a doping agent of any type was originally used.

I know that with my own experiments, trying to cut my own bamboo needles, I've never used melted wax, and the results were pretty consistent -- played about half a record before the tip gave out.

NOS fiber needles, I've found, generally play one side of a 10 inch record okay, but poop out before the end of a 12 inch record unless it's in nearly perfect condition.

I've read that tracing the groove with a soft pencil will improve the performance of fiber needles without damaging the record, but have not tried this. CLICK HERE FOR REF.

DS

[Neophone]

DS,

Thank you so much for the info-I've spent about twenty minutes on searching on-line with very little success so far. The bit with the pencil makes me nervous though! I would wonder about a build-up of graphite.

Regards,
John

[hmv203]

Hi, I have been a member of this column for some time. Anyway, I have been making fiber needles using 100 to 200 year old Japanese bamboo called susudake:smoked bamboo. I have been selling 50 pieces for 35 us dollars on ebay. They have very reputation so far. Please look at my needles' reputation. Thank you.