Drawing wire was invented in Germany in the mid 1300's, drawn steel 1632. Beaten wire technology of before the 14th century precludes the possibility of metal stings on celtic harps until Renaissance (counted from Dante, Giotto & Co). RT ______________ Roman M. Turovsky http://polyhymnion.org/swv
> 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 Wire was originally made by beating the metal out into plates, which 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 >> > > >
