Re: [Harp-L] Carbon Fiber Reeds

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A carbon fiber comb would be OK, my only reservation would be if the comb were damaged somehow and splintered, carbon fiber is splintery, imo, but I'm sure some would say wood is also splintery, but I've never had any trouble with wood and my experience with carbon fiber has largely been limited to arrows. 
Dave
____________________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.con

----- Original Message ----
From: Harvey Berman <cscharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 10:27:34 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Carbon Fiber Reeds

I was wondering if anyone has tried Carbon Fiber Combs, and maybe Reeds.  Having spent years in the motorcycle industry, and working on a few racing bikes, It was always better to replace steel intake reeds with Carbon Fiber.  They were faster and lasted longer.  Would this work for Harmonicas?  I am going to try to find some old scrap, and who knows?

Of course, about 10 years ago I thought the hot set up was to go to Cryogenics.  Dwight Grimm (The Dude Harp Guy) and I sent out about 50 reed plates to be frozen.  The idea was to align and relax the molecules and make them more mellow  and last longer.  It works for razor blades, tools, and Brass musical instruments, so I was lead to believe.  I even asked Rick Epping if he thought it was a real benefit, and he said he did.  I won't mention why he said Hohner did not do it.  It seemed to help to reduce reed fatigue, of course it could have been that I was getting better at playing.  Too bad the I did not know about embossing and such back then, because I would imagine that massaging the brass would put the stresses back in and that you should do the freezing last, after everything else, including gapping.  I thought it had  been discussed on Harp-l but I can find no references to it.

Oh well.  

By the way, even though you guys, and ladies, sometimes beat subjects to death, and are rude to each other, and have runnoft (love that movie) a few members, The knowlege you impart to us harmonica enthusiasts is incredible, and it is very much appreciated.  Thank you for your efforts

Harvey Berman



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