Saxophones, Clarinets, Flutes and other woodwind use these little obnoxious pointy things. But why ?
From what little I know, instruments started using needle springs because, well, someone decided to use sewing needles as a spring device for musical instruments in the "early" days, and no one has anything better to use since then. I don't really know the detailed history about them but that's what I heard. These little things are made of steel, then heat treated and quenched to give that nice bluish color.
Buy for the novice they certainly hurt. They are pointy and can prick your finger or worse, get stuck in a finger.
In a recent clarinet overhaul I had to change a needle spring. It broke off at the post. What fun, flush break at the post surface. The back of the needles are hammered flat to provide enough "wedging" to stop them in the hole and to hold them in place.
Back to the clarinet overhaul. I had the spring near perfect. After a while I was able to remove the flush spring remnants and select and prep a new spring. Got it in the post, used some spring bending pliers to give to a nice curve. All was well but the spring was a bit long and the cradle was only for the tip of the needle. So precsion work was needed. I refit everything but decided the spring needed a little extra curve up to provide the best fit for the surface cradle.
So I brought the pliers up to the spring, barely touched it,and it shattered to pieces. Great. back to square one.
So let's explore this little device and what options are used out there for springs on instruments ......
input from the masses is welcomed
From what little I know, instruments started using needle springs because, well, someone decided to use sewing needles as a spring device for musical instruments in the "early" days, and no one has anything better to use since then. I don't really know the detailed history about them but that's what I heard. These little things are made of steel, then heat treated and quenched to give that nice bluish color.
Buy for the novice they certainly hurt. They are pointy and can prick your finger or worse, get stuck in a finger.
In a recent clarinet overhaul I had to change a needle spring. It broke off at the post. What fun, flush break at the post surface. The back of the needles are hammered flat to provide enough "wedging" to stop them in the hole and to hold them in place.
Back to the clarinet overhaul. I had the spring near perfect. After a while I was able to remove the flush spring remnants and select and prep a new spring. Got it in the post, used some spring bending pliers to give to a nice curve. All was well but the spring was a bit long and the cradle was only for the tip of the needle. So precsion work was needed. I refit everything but decided the spring needed a little extra curve up to provide the best fit for the surface cradle.
So I brought the pliers up to the spring, barely touched it,and it shattered to pieces. Great. back to square one.
So let's explore this little device and what options are used out there for springs on instruments ......
input from the masses is welcomed