How to remove excess silk from ball end of string?

[evs]

My Dunlop Flats have black silk on the ends.
The ball end of the A string is wrapped too thickly for the string to seat into the groove on the saddle.
I'd like to remove just a bit of it so that the silk doesn't reach the saddle.
How to do this?

 

[michael_t]

Take a sharp razor and slit the excess end of the silk length-wise and you should be able to peel it back or shave the excess right off.

(CAUTION: I've never tried this myself. )

 

[HaphAsSard]

My Dunlop Flats have black silk on the ends.
The ball end of the A string is wrapped too thickly for the string to seat into the groove on the saddle.
I'd like to remove just a bit of it so that the silk doesn't reach the saddle.
How to do this?

X-acto knife, cigarette lighter, or even better, a combination of the two. I've done it, thusly, several times.

 

[Bob_Ross]

X-acto knife, cigarette lighter, or even better, a combination of the two. I've done it, thusly, several times.

Really, that worked?!?! I specifically came in here to post "I know how not to remove excess silk from the ball end of strings: cigarette lighter" because the one time I tried to burn them off, the string snapped after ~5 seconds exposure to the open flame!

 

[StevieMac]

X-acto knife, cigarette lighter, or even better, a combination of the two. I've done it, thusly, several times.

That's how I've always done it.

 

[Stevorebob]

I’ve used just a razor blade. Never tried a flame.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Really, that worked?!?! I specifically came in here to post "I know how not to remove excess silk from the ball end of strings: cigarette lighter" because the one time I tried to burn them off, the string snapped after ~5 seconds exposure to the open flame!

Hm, your post made me realise I've always used the combo method - cut and fray, burn, re-fray, re-burn, rinse and if necessary repeat - rather than flame alone.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Xacto razor. My monorail “sleds” have a fixed 1” afterlength between the ball end and saddle so it’s a must.

Riis