[Harp-L] Re: Chrome/Nickel Allergy

["H.T." <imanonimous@xxxxxxx>]

Does stainless steel give you problems? I believe there are some metals experts on this list who can offer more detail, and maybe correct me, but I think stainless steel often contains some amount of nickel, including stainless cookware and flatware. Perhaps being part of an alloy the nickel isn't an allergen? If those don't cause a reaction for you, maybe stainless harmonica parts would not be a problem?

The Suzuki Manji has stainless covers, and the reeds are phosphor/bronze but I can't find details about the reed plates on Suzuki's web site or in the product brochure. Pat Missin describes them as "plated brass", but doesn't say what the plating is:

http://www.patmissin.com/reviews/suzuki4.html

Seydel uses stainless steel covers, reeds & screws on some models, but the flags went up when I looked up "German Silver", the material some of their reed plates are made from. According to the Wikipedia page it's also known as "nickel silver" and "is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc.["

That said, the Seydel Blues Solist Pro has brass reed plates and reeds, a sealed wood body, and stainless covers. ï

Good luck,
Harry



The Seydel 1847 and 1847 Silver, and the BluesMaster

Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:16:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: BullHorn <bullhorn7@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Chrome/Nickel Allergy
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
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I absolutely forgot about this but I've discovered I'm allergic to
chrome and/or nickel by playing with nickel strings and by wearing
sterling silver jewelery.

What are my harmonica-options? :|