Trying to save an old, dry plain gut string...

AndreasH · #1 04-30-2009, 01:09 PM

It's propably an A string. It doesn't look damaged, just very dry.

I've been greasing it up a bit but is there any other tricks to make an old, dry gut come to life again?

**Francois Blais** · #2 04-30-2009, 01:27 PM

You can buy Pirastro gut oil from Quinn's.

I read about some other oil too. (almond ?)

AndreasH · #3 04-30-2009, 01:30 PM

Yes, there are plenty of options for oiling up guts. I think almond oil is what the stringmakers themselves usually recommend.

But I wonder if you can do more than just oiling it in order to make it playable?

juuzek · #4 04-30-2009, 02:03 PM

I have read that you could use lamb tallow to revive a dry gut string.

salcott · #5 04-30-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juuzek

I have read that you could use lamb tallow to revive a dry gut string.

Yup-get about 5 pounds of lamb fat, render it on the kitchen stove, keep it in the fridge; it'll last a long time.

Marcus Johnson · #6 04-30-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salcott

5 pounds of lamb fat

Whoa...

Mark Perna · #7 04-30-2009, 07:11 PM

Yuck. I think I'd rather buy a new one. Just imaging the olfactory delight on the bandstand after that revival.

mark

TeleTubby · #8 04-30-2009, 10:10 PM

I've got a set I've been trying to restore for the last couple of months. Only using a liberal splash of mineral oil and trying to remember to treat them a couple of times a week, they are getting better- not sure how far I can go with this, though. Anyone have any ideas? Is it possible to get the tuner peg winds straightened out? Is it even necessary? The gut is certainly more flexible than it was, so progress is attainable, but to echo the OP, is there a better way/method?

salcott · #9 04-30-2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calivox

Yuck. I think I'd rather buy a new one. Just imaging the olfactory delight on the bandstand after that revival.

mark

The actual rendering is not all that stinky as I remember it (77-78ish), and the resulting tallow is odorless. Some of the vegetable and nut oils will turn rancid on the string, and make some real stank.

AndreasH · #10 05-03-2009, 02:41 PM

I found a place where I can buy 100g (about 0.2 pounds?) of lamb tallow in Sweden. Maybe that's enough for just one string?

salcott · #11 05-03-2009, 03:15 PM

100 grams should last quite a while-you don't really slather it on. I'd give it a shot. Could you post the link?

AndreasH · #12 05-03-2009, 04:30 PM

The page is in Swedish and lamb tallow is "fårtalg" in Swedish.

The page:
http://www.beckorep.com/sjomaning.html#

The product:
http://www.beckorep.com/sjomaning16.html

Nuno A. · #13 05-04-2009, 12:37 AM

what i usually do is to put the dry string in a plate with some baby oil in it and let it stay there overnight. it smells better than olive oil and animal fat which may get rancid.
It usually works, but sometimes the string is so old and dry that the fibers inside will always break, but i have been successful with many many old gut strings.
good luck

Nuno

BAJO · #14 05-04-2009, 05:46 AM

Exactly what Nuno said!!! Try a bowl filled with Baby oil, Walnut oil or Mineral oil and let it sit over night. Let them dry a bit and wipe them off and use them the next day. This process is the closest way in making the string come back to life.. However, guts will react in their favor and not your!!! So good luck!!