Bamboo Needles, Wax and other lubricants

[penman]

So finally got my new (old) Wade bamboo needle cutter, and can now use my cache of bamboo needles. There have been a lot of posts about lubricating the records with candle wax, etc. to help preserve the point a little longer. I decided to do some experimenting. Candle wax is very messy, you cannot get an even very thin coat and it just does not seem very workable. My solution, which has been working for me, but I leave it up to all to experiment for themselves, is the waterproofing wax that is made by Burberry and Barbour for their cotton wax coats so familiar to inhabitants of the UK and other waterlogged environs. This is a very soft almost liquid wax that can be carefully applied in a very very thin coat, and then evened out more with judicious use of a hair dryer on a very low setting, or under a light bulb, or in the sun for a very short period of time. The melting point of this wax is probably less than 100 F, and could even be melted first and then applied. The results have been very good, at least for me. I can go through around 3-5 sides before I re-point, depending on the record condition.

[mjbramham]

Have you tried soaking in gum arabic? I find this method makes the tip rigid enough to last a side at least on 90% of records that normally chew up bamboo. It helps acoustically as well. I shall have to try the jacket wax treatment. Do you think it leaves much residue? I certainly have waxy hands when I take my raincoat off, but that may be to do with the quantity of wax in impregnated cotton.

[penman]

I have not tried gum arabic. I'm currently using my cactus needles, I find that with resharpening after 2-4 sides (depending on the record) I can get 30-40 sides from one needle. The wax coating I apply is very very thin, basically from a waxy cloth and if there's any buildup, after one play any excess is all gone. If the coats were not so stiff you could wipe the records down with it Good luck. I'l have to try the gum arabic, I think that was what was originally used on some bamboo needles.

[mjbramham]

I think you are right. People certainly used to do it for themselves. The method I use I found in an old copy of Gramophone magazine. I basically soak them in a half and half mix of water and gum for a few days, then heat them in neat gum for a few minutes before drying on a radiator for a day or two. I've always been pleased with the results but it takes days to achieve where your method is so quick. Might hold off wiping records on my coat though, that would probably look a little odd!

[novkev24]

I had a similar problem. Here is a link to my post with some suggestions and what I eventually did to straighten my needles: http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... f=2&t=7024

[old country chemist]

I have used various preparations to strengthen fibre needles-both thorns and bamboo. The trouble with bamboo needles is this. If you hold one on end under a mocroscope, you will see that the whole of the part inside the outer hard shell is composed of tiny holes. These are, in a way, sound filters, and therefore a very clean sound cannot generally be obtained from such needles-particularly if they have been kept in damp conditions. Various "dopes" as they are called, have been used over the many years, and a couple of my favourite ones are: Tannic acid, ten per cent, dissolved in alcohol. Bamboos are leftin a small closed jar of the solution, and shaken occasionally, for 14 days. Needles are then removed, dried on kitchen towelling, and left to dry, either in a dessicator, containing silica gel or lumps of calcium chloride. Ready for use after that in about a couple of days. Another one that is gummy is; Gum arabic-as some of you have mentioned using. Now this is usually made far too thick. The liquid cannot permeate through the fine filter holes. So a much weaker solution is employed. No more than 10 per cent, and about the same percentage of alcohol is added to the water to dissolve the gum. This usually takes a while! As before needles are removed, dried, and put in dessicant.A much cleaner tone is evident from these treated needles. when bamboo needles were first available, they were known as oiled fibres. I do not know what oil was used to strengthen them,-probably an essential oil, such as cedarwood which would be thin enough to be absorbed by the bamboo, but they seemed work well. Another dope used about the time these needles were made-about 1913, was a solution of shellac in spirit. The big problem with that recipe was that the bamboo needle produced heat in contact with the moving groove of the record, and therefore the shellac vanish dissolved in the needle became tacky and made the record grooves sticky, and also would sometimes actually harm the record groove.

[frenchmarky]

When you use the wax on the records, do you get any mess of wax particles or shavings as the records play? I've experimented a little with putting regular car carnuba wzx on records and using my usual steel or tungsten needles. Applied light coat, then let dry good. First couple of plays would produce a little wax 'dust' on the surface that could easily be wiped or blown off. Whether it did anything to reduce wear on the record or the needle I dunno. Reducing wear on a steel needle is probably defeating the purpose of the abrasive record anyway, but like I say I was just goofing around with experimenting.

[Guest]

I use Ibota natural wax for polishing and lubricating 78rpm, which really works with fiber needles.

[novkev24]

I use Ibota natural wax for polishing and lubricating 78rpm, which really works with fiber needles.

Hi,

Where do I go about purchasing Ibota wax?

-Kevin

[ALVES]

Hello all ,New here
Just bought an Expert Junior and having fun trying out thorns and Bamboo seriously for the first time. I want to try to avoid steel as much as possible now .
I too have heard of the Iboto wax .. Shellac powder ?? I have been looking for a source of it .
I also wondered whether fluid wood hardener (possibly thinned ) used for window rot repairs would work as a dope agent ??
Paul