[Harp-L] Re: Soaking plastic combs / Embossing-Burnishing

["Rick Epping" <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Richard. As I said in my post of Nov. 13th, I term I first used when
describing embossing was "burnishing."  As you were one of the first to
employ the technique it stands to reason you would associate with it the
term burnishing.  I recall there was a debate on harp-l back in the 90s
about which term best described the technique.

I agree with you regarding soaking; water left in the soaked harp after
tapping it out helps to seal air leaks, whether between the plates and comb,
the covers and plates, or between the reeds and slots.  I do very little
cleaning of my harps for the same reason; sediment that builds up in the
harp also helps to seal any air leaks.

Best regards,
Rick

>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 18:33:39 -0500
> From: Richard Sleigh <rharp@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Soaking plastic combs / Rick Epping's post on
>        embossing
>
> Great post on embossing, Rick. When I first learned about this, the
> term I was familiar with was burnishing. this naturally reminded me
> of a tool that I used as an art student that was called a burnishing
> tool. I used them on zinc and copper plate etchings and engravings to
> push down areas on the plate to make them hold less ink. So I dug out
> my old burnishing tool and that is what I used for quite a while
> until I learned other ways to emboss. You can find these tools in a
> good art supply shop or Dick Blick catalog. they look like a
> flattened rod that has been brought to a rounded tip, usually bent at
> the end a bit. Made of tempered steel, highly polished.
>
>