I have a problem with the date 1632 that has been assigned to the process of making wire in W. Europe. Barley's book published in 1596 for Lute and Orpharion being a major case in point. The Orpharion was a metal wire strung instrument as was the Cittern. How does this date square with these two instruments?
VW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roman Turovsky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 26, 2004 9:59 AM Subject: Re: Wire strings > >> From an encyclopedia: > >> "History of wire production > >> Wire was originally made by beating the metal out into plates, which were > >> then cut into continuous strips, and afterwards rounded by beating. The art > >> of wire-drawing does not appear to have been known until the 14th century, > >> and it was not introduced into England before the second half of the 17th > >> century. ...." > >> RT > "Wire drawing required a lot of energy. This requirement could be lessened > with lubricant. All types of lubricants were tried with little success. In > 1632 the needle-makers, who had developed steel wire, accidentally > discovered that human urination applied to the wire left a coating that > lubricated the wire and helped smooth the surface. It also helped prevent > rusting. The use of this lubricant in wire drawing lasted well into the 19th > century when a hot lime bath took its place." > > "The 17th century brought the use of the waterwheel. The wire draw-bench > incorporated crankshafts, tappets, hind spring bars, and bell crank levers. > All innovations increased the output of wire but tong marks and splice > irregularities still required much hand filing and sanding before the > finished product could be sold." > RT > ________________ > http://polyhymnion.org > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
