Waxing natural gut for stringing

[Will Wilson]

My new preferred set up is full bed natural gut. I have strung this a few times and am careful not to kink it, etc.

My question is the crosses. There is so much friction when pulling the crosses through that I am concerned. They screech and there is dust on my machine after I am done. I am not notching the mains but the friction just seems to be too much.

Should I be waxing the crosses before stringing? If so, how to do it and with what product?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, waxing really helps. My wife gave me a block of canning (paraffin) wax years ago. I'm still using it and it works fine. When you finish the mains, just rub it on both sides before stringing. It does ease the pulls considerably.

 

[eelhc]

Yes, waxing really helps. My wife gave me a block of canning (paraffin) wax years ago. I'm still using it and it works fine. When you finish the mains, just rub it on both sides before stringing. It does ease the pulls considerably.

+1...

Also keep the wax in your bag and give the strings a rub once in a while to prevent movement and keep them playing fresh.

Remember to clean your clamps afterwards though...

 

[o0lunatik]

I've used bow string wax on the gut mains prior to running the cross, and that worked great as well. You just apply like you're coloring onto the mains and rub it in with your fingers.

 

[Will Wilson]

+1...

Also keep the wax in your bag and give the strings a rub once in a while to prevent movement and keep them playing fresh.

Remember to clean your clamps afterwards though...

Thanks for this thought. I have the old Ektelon warhorse stringer where the clamps are relatively smooth. In other words, they don't have the abrasive, sandpaper like surface that helps grip the string.

Do you think if I wax, I am going to have slippage issues? Anybody out there using my string that is waxing their gut?

 

[jim e]

Just giving you my input on this since you are asking, although others here will not agree, this is my honest input.

I string a good deal of nat. gut and I do not wax strings.
It is really not necessary for me.
If you weave one ahead and also pull most of the slack string one ahead as well, there is very little friction to wear the string yet alone any screeching like you have .
If a customer asked me to wax the strings I would do so, but also would add a fee for my time to clean machine and clamps of the wax residue.
It just is not worth it for me, but then again I never found gut string wear an issue when I string nat. gut. Especially with todays quality nat. gut with the coatings that are on the strings, as years ago that was not on them, and even back then 1960's I strung a lot of nat. gut back then I never waxed them.
Bottom line, do whatever you are comfortable with and what works for you.
If you are more comfortable waxing and don't mind cleaning up the wax from machine and clamps after then fine, I don't find it necessary is all.

 

[Rabbit]

Just giving you my input on this since you are asking, although others here will not agree, this is my honest input.

I string a good deal of nat. gut and I do not wax strings.
It is really not necessary for me.
If you weave one ahead and also pull most of the slack string one ahead as well, there is very little friction to wear the string yet alone any screeching like you have .
If a customer asked me to wax the strings I would do so, but also would add a fee for my time to clean machine and clamps of the wax residue.
It just is not worth it for me, but then again I never found gut string wear an issue when I string nat. gut. Especially with todays quality nat. gut with the coatings that are on the strings, as years ago that was not on them, and even back then 1960's I strung a lot of nat. gut back then I never waxed them.
Bottom line, do whatever you are comfortable with and what works for you.
If you are more comfortable waxing and don't mind cleaning up the wax from machine and clamps after then fine, I don't find it necessary is all.

Jim, I agree with you on most guts except for the Klip Legend Tour. That stuff absolutely sticks together when you string it. My wife thought I was learning to play the violin the other night. Most guts do not require waxing, I do it just because I'm trying to minimize stress on the string. But the Klip Legend (I have not strung any of the black Babolat) is positively sticky.

 

[Will Wilson]

Jim, I agree with you on most guts except for the Klip Legend Tour. That stuff absolutely sticks together when you string it. My wife thought I was learning to play the violin the other night. Most guts do not require waxing, I do it just because I'm trying to minimize stress on the string. But the Klip Legend (I have not strung any of the black Babolat) is positively sticky.

Interesting as that is the gut I have been stringing as well. I like the idea of waxing it and have no issue with cleaning it up afterwards. I'm just concerned that my clamps will slip when I am stringing the racket as the clamps in the old Ektelons are pretty smooth.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

I use left over car wax too.

 

[Rabbit]

Interesting as that is the gut I have been stringing as well. I like the idea of waxing it and have no issue with cleaning it up afterwards. I'm just concerned that my clamps will slip when I am stringing the racket as the clamps in the old Ektelons are pretty smooth.

There shouldn't be any wax on your clamps. When you wax, you're waxing the mains. You then pull the crosses and clamp them so there isn't any contact between the clamps and the mains.

 

[struggle]

There shouldn't be any wax on your clamps. When you wax, you're waxing the mains. You then pull the crosses and clamp them so there isn't any contact between the clamps and the mains.

But it does get onto the crosses as you weave, so it does get into the clamps to a certain degree.

 

[MAX PLY]

The only times I've ever waxed gut is with cheap, thick gut strings (the better stings--e.g., Bab, Pacific--don't require it). I do disagree with Rabbit--even though wax is generally applied to the mains, residue unavoidably gets on the weaved crosses and does get on the clamps. Obviously the lighter you need to apply, the less the problem. And I do recommend weaving one ahead with every string but especially gut.

 

[Rabbit]

In light of such esteemed counter opinions, I find myself obliged to say "I stand corrected!".

The easy solution....clean your clamps! (As you should prior to stringing gut anyway.)

 

[MAX PLY]

^^^Yes, clean clamps (and tension head) . . . and often.

 

[drakulie]

Tip for stringing crosses for natural gut:
http://youtu.be/YpfwDvF3Buk

Also, most any regular household candle will suffice.

 

[Irvin]

The problem with waxing the string while you are stringing is you must clean the clamp and gripper much more often.

 

[struggle]

Tip for stringing crosses for natural gut:
http://youtu.be/YpfwDvF3Buk

Also, most any regular household candle will suffice.

yes, i use a candle.