The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Does anyone have a source for thorn and/or fibre needles? Is anyone still producing these? Thanks.

One of our forum members says he pulls cactus thorns off of the cactus in his backyard, but otherwise I know of no new production...

Honey locust trees are bristling with thorns---big ones! They grow from the trunk and the branches. You live within the range for this native tree, so be on the lookout for it.

After looking at a few posts on thorn needles I finally decided to try some. Being in Arizona with a built in supply of cacti helps. My fingers have finally healed enough so I can report that untreated new cactus needles work great. I have several different types at my house and found that needles from barrel cactus work best. The harvesting technique is a little more difficult than "pulling" and anyone who's been around cactus knows they do not come out by simple pulling. In fact they are too long and thick to use the whole spine. A wire cutter and hand protection is de rigeur. I can get 3-4 sides from each needle, and while the sound is like a half-tone steel needle, I like to think it has a slightly mellower tone, but that could just be wishful thinking.

George

I have my "supplier" for barrel cactus thorns who lives in Phoenix and has graciously sent me a couple packets of these in the last couple years. One good thorn can yield up to 3 finished needles. I use a circular-type sharpener, such as the Decca, Peter Grey or Red Top, and have devised a way to unscrew the plastic or wooden handle and attach the sharpener to a variable-speed electric drill. You cut a length of thorn with a toenail clippers, put it in the sharpener chuck, run the drill-sharpener on the emory wheel at a medium speed, and in no time you have a lovely needle ready for trying.
Each needle will sound a bit different-some are no good from the start and are discarded, but the best ones (as thick as your sharpener chuck will allow)will play up to ten sides of your pristine-condition 1923-1933-era records before needing sharpening.
I use these on my VV10-35 and VV10-50 changers with very good results. One good needle will last for dozens of records before it's too short to handle.
I've made a couple thousand bamboo needles too, and the best ones sound really good.
I rarely use steel or tungsten needles these days.
Bob

George, I have been in Tucson twice (in 1995 and again in 2004) and still have dear friends there. Which species of cactus did you try? The Saguaro?

Marco

The ones I find work best are barrel cacti and hedgehog cactus species. Saguaro cactus spines are too thin. The barrel cactus has the spines that work best to be reused by sharpening. There are many different types but as long as the spines are fairly straight they work. Good luck.
George

Bob: Any tips you can offer on how you make your bammboo needles? Where do you source the bamboo? I know of several "wild" thickets that have sprung up in my immediate area (South Central pennsylvania) from well-meaning neighboring landowners. John

Guest wrote:Bob: Any tips you can offer on how you make your bammboo needles? Where do you source the bamboo? I know of several "wild" thickets that have sprung up in my immediate area (South Central pennsylvania) from well-meaning neighboring landowners. John

Hello Guest! Hope you sign up to be a member of this forum!
Here's a link to an extended thread on another great phono forum. It should get you started with the basic information:

http://victrolagramophones.proboards.co ... =18&page=1

I've tried several different types of bamboo items-tiki torches, chopsticks, and even clothespins! The narrow bamboo skewers are easiest to work with (for me), but you'll have a rather high rejection rate with these, since the hardness of the bamboo fibers varies so much. Still, when I find a skewer that yields a good needle, I then can make several more from the same skewer. I've done enough that it takes just a few seconds to make each new one.
Bob

Thanks Bob.....Guest? I thought I was logged in, oh well, I've been a member for about a year, or so I thought? John