Klarinet Archive - Posting 000128.txt from 1997/09

From: Jrykorten@-----.com
Subj: Re: Blue Springs
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997 10:35:51 -0400

In a message dated 97-09-03 02:00:18 EDT, you write:

<<
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 1997 01:55:10 +0100
From: "Brian Ackerman" <ackerman@-----.uk>
Subject: Re: Springing the blues

Sorry Jerry, but you are wrong and Leo is right. It has everything to do
with spring hardness. I answered this in a posting a few days ago.
The spring needs to be first hardened and then tempered. The tempering at
about 320deg C. produces a blue oxide film.
Incidentally, I think Boehm was the first to use needle-springs on his
flutes. He recommended "best quality English sewing needles".
Brian Ackerman.
>>

As you state it yes you are right. My confusion comes from the term "Blueing"
which in gunsmithing is a separate process, not related to annealing or
hardening, that is applied to the surface afterwards - on purpose - as a rust
inhibitor. What you are describing here sounds like an incidental result of
the tempering.

Jerry Korten
NYC