[Gordon (NZ)]

Yes, it is indeed something that you see either on very old instruments or you would see this done from people who don't have cork readily available. My friend and teacher Arthur Heuwekemeyer has taken to use this after having found it on one of his Lyrists from the '30....

What a mess!

I have never seen it on a sax. Common on old clarinets where there is a groove to contain it a bit. And more common on bassoons. I suppose it helps to counter splitting of the rather thin, weak timber.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Interesting info. You should market that! I should try that silk/bamboo yarn/ thread and I might even steal some of my wife's essential oil to coat it with.

I think the essential oil will sooner or later go rancid and stink. The stink will permeate the case.

Besides, oil has too-high grip-slip properties in this very slow-speed, reasonable pressure "bearing".

Also on the topic:
- If the "cork" on a sax neck does not do its sealing quite close to then sax body end, then odd acoustic events can be introduced. I think a thick build-up of thread very close to the end will be unstable during sax assembly.
- If the initial layers of the thread are not glued then there could later be a tendency for the whole thready thing to become loose, and on necks without a ridge, come right off.
- For me at least, installing thread and getting the fit just right, is far more time consuming than installing a cork.
- Finding a suitable thread is not so easy. Polymers are mostly too unforgiving, do not hold grease well, and tend to come loose.

So what exactly is the point unless one subscribes to some sort of tone voodoo?
It seems to me that thread on tenons was almost completely given up a long time ago (except on bassoons) for good reason. It still has a place for museum pieces where authenticity may be a factor.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Ugh!

Like most bindings, it looks... UGLY! What would my customers say if I did that!

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

I think a good one could be reminiscent of the binding on a bassoon bocal - http://www.dynamicreeds.com/bassoon_reed_by_dynamic_reeds.jpg - or a ball fo string: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images...28/1298918232037/Ball-of-thick-string-007.jpg

In order to get the thickness, and hold itself together, while having spaces to fill with parafin wax or equivalent.