Violin Forum/Message Board

Mat Roop · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:47 pm Post subject: string cleaning

I've heard of many solutions.... but....
What do you use to clean rosin build up on strings?
What do you advise your customers to use?
Thanks for your thoughts... Mat

Chet Bishop · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:34 pm Post subject:

Not that it matters, as I am no expert, but I use a dry cotton cloth...and I hate the loud squeaking noise it makes. But it does work, and does not risk saturating the string with some liquid.
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

Michael Darnton · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 8:29 am Post subject:

I use alcohol. I tell customers to use a little piece of a green kitchen pad.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

Mat Roop · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 6:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys... never thought of the green kitchen pad..must try it.
What I use is the 0000 steel wool. A couple gentle wipes seems to cut thru the rosin real nice.
What I don't like about the dry cloth is that it tends to leave a layer of rosin still on the string albeit a smooth layer.
Any issues with the steel wool on the strings?
Thanks... Mat

Michael Darnton · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:34 pm Post subject:

I used steel wool until I realized that green pads wouldn't leave steel fur all over my bench to be attracted to many of my steel tools. There's nothing wrong with it as far as the violin is concerned.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

Jack Rushing · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

Don't know if it is true or not. I remember reading somewhere years ago,
that Heifetz used spit, then wiped the strings off.

Cliff Green · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:49 am Post subject:

I like Michael's suggestions. My favorite is to use the packaged alcohol wipes that doctors use for injections. Very cheap and lightly alcoholed to avoid drips. I also like the finer grades of 3M abrasive pads usually white or tan in color.
I've heard that many believe that alcohol will damage the strings and that abrasives such as steel wool etc will wear the windings. Neither of these arguments seem very likely to me.
Of course, someone who slurps on the alcohol may damage the varnish as it did on a cello I got to repair.

Michael Darnton · Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:51 pm Post subject:

Some players have told me that they think that the strings work better with all of the oil from manufacturing removed. Think about that oil getting on the bow hair, for instance. That's a good point in favor of alcohol, but I don't like to see players waving the stuff around their instruments. It's probably also a point against steel wool, which has oil in it to keep it from rusting.

Sometime take a paper towel, alcohol it up lightly, then rub new strings thoroughly from end to end. You'd be surprised at the dirty crud you take off them. When I remember it, when I change strings I wipe off the new ones.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

L P Reedy · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:53 pm Post subject:

I agree about new strings, though I rarely remember to clean them. Years after my e string squeaking phase I put on a new set with plain steel e and the squeak was back. I stopped it by rubbing the bow lengthwise on the string, but it occurred to me later that it was probably oil on the string.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

so you clean the strings after each playing with a clean cloth anyway, and would this mostly solve the problem on the bow end?

Dave Chandler · Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 11:58 pm Post subject: Cleaning strings

I use my thumb nail to knock loose any buildup, then a clean dry cloth -- lots of squeeks but it does the trick. Most of the buildup is on the upper parts of the string, and a thumb nail is softer than the metals used. During summer season when I'm actively involved in community orchestra, I play 2-3 hours a day, it builds up pretty quickly. But on the other hand, I only rosin up once every 6-8 hours of playing.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo