Ummm, the reason that golfballs have lower wind-resistance is that the dimpled surface creates a turbulent boundary layer. That retards boundary layer separation better than the laminar boundary layer that would be created by a smooth surface, which in turn leads to lower wind-resistance (see any basic book on fluid mechanics, Bachelor is my favorite). The same principle is used with some high-performance jets. It's a totally different physical situation than a string sticking in a groove. I think that you are probably better off with a fairly smooth groove.
Guy ----- Original Message ----- From: "James A Stimson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lutesmith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 9:16 AM Subject: Re: More on tuning > > > > > Dear Sean and All: > I'd recently heard of using beeswax for gut strings, and in fact just > bought some but haven't applied any yet. Have you used it with gut > strings? > They tend to stick a bit more than nylon. > Interesting theory about leaving the groove a little rough. Would this > apply to wound strings as well, though? It seems to me with a wound string > a perfectly smooth, very slightly arched groove is best. > Yours, > Jim > > > > > > lutesmith > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > bal.net> cc: > Subject: Re: More on > tuning > 01/23/2004 02:12 > AM > > > > > > > At 10:08 PM 1/22/04, you wrote: > >Hi Daniel and David, > > > > > Hi Daniel, > > > > > > One possible reason the string makes that "quantum jump" is that it > > > may > > > be sticking in the groove of the nut. A good way to smooth out the > > > groove is with pencil graphite. > > > >This is a way that works but is looking really bad after. I by myself use > >an old wound string to polish the string groove. Apply as much as power > >you can give. > > > I'd be careful here. Some nuts are softer and polish quicker than others. > You don't want to take down too much material. Not polishing it out > completely will more easily hold a film of lube (I prefer beeswax: it > doesn't leave your strings black) --kind of like a dimpled golfball > creates > > less resistance than a completely smooth. > > Sean > > > > > > > > >
