Klarinet Archive - Posting 000515.txt from 1998/07

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Pointed springs
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 22:59:59 -0400

At 02:13 PM 7/19/98 +1200, Anna Dodgshun wrote:
>Why are springs made with pointed ends? I've just been cleaning my bass
>clarinet, and in taking the keys off, managed to run a spring straight into
>my finger. I've seen some blunt tipped springs, so why aren't they all like
>that?
>Anybody got any ideas?
>
As I understand it, a needle spring is actually more responsive than a
spring of constant thickness. For one thing, there is less friction at the
point where it is hooked to the key. Plus, the needle springs are made of
blue steel. You will notice that only older instruments and
professional-level ones have needle springs. Student instruments have
blunt ones made of stainless steel. Coincidence? I think not!

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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