String recycling

[acwild]

I have eight guitars, a bass, and a mandolin. When it's string change time, it seems like there's a whole lot of metal that's being dumped into the garbage. Is it a reasonable idea to recycle them or are string metal blends too complicated for such a process?

 

[Big Poppa]

WE cant remanufacture strings but if you recycle them like any other metals it will get re used in some form Maybe some Chinese toys!

 

[NickDuBaldo]

WE cant remanufacture strings but if you recycle them like any other metals it will get re used in some form Maybe some Chinese toys!

You make lead strings?





I've thought about boxing up all the used ones I go through in the course of a year... then I realized that it would be a huge box hanging around and I'd probably end up getting stabbed by a broken string and inevitably acquire tetanus.

 

[acwild]

You make lead strings?

Oh well, just a thought. I guess I'll just continue making a huge jar of ball ends.

 

[Jodizzle]

I spoke to a fantastic gentleman the other day (one of our EB dealers) who said he ties up rattlesnakes with his old strings!!! Now the guy is located in Oklahoma, but c'mon ... rattlesnakes?!?!? I got a kick out of it.

 

[mobis.fr]

i don't know the english word, but have you ever consider a "supersonic-cleaning-machine"?

at least with the bass strings it works great.

 

[DrKev]

Maybe it does work great but how do you get rid of the flat spots and metal fatigue?

 

[mobis.fr]

i don't know... paint them

 

[Mayor Stoner]

Recycled Old Strings ?

" 'ACWILD', my hat's off to you, for putting this on the table. I brought up this same subject, a couple of months ago. I have contacted string companies, forums, etc. and have never gotten any practical ideas for dealing with this issue, on a large scale.
I know after a couple of years of string changes, I have a large amount of old strings. I know guys who make fishing tackle, picture hanging devices, etc, out of them. I've read that some guys try to send their old strings to prisoners, because they can't get to new strings. But, I'm sure, there are some major security issues there. Or, maybe, donate them to guys in military situations, that don't have easy access to new sets. As a eco-conscious player, I should would like to hear solutions to deal with this, on a large scale. I have a 22 month old son. And, I don't want this stuff in the ground, until he's 22 YEARS old ! " M.S.

 

[scottbass71]

Great Thread I was thinking about that myself surely in this day in age they can be recycled????

 

[acwild]

It's a lot of metal and it seems like a huge waste throwing in the garbage to go to a landfill. Jmho. I can understand why manufacturers can't rework the metal, but maybe someone else can use it.

 

[Caca de Kick]

Like BP says, just put in your metal recycle bin. String can't be re-made into strings, but all metals can be recycled.

 

[marsguitars]

i don't know the english word, but have you ever consider a "supersonic-cleaning-machine"?

You mean Ultrasonic... but we knew what you meant!

 

[bassmonkey]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner at work. It's used to clean organic material off surgical instruments prior to autoclaving. Could this really be used to clean strings and give them a new lease of life? Anyone tried it?

 

[mobis.fr]

i know some people who use them. most of them buy only one set of stings a year.

these are common ultrasonic cleaner, which you can get in every housekeeping shop.
they cost less than 25€ (a little bit more than one set of slinkys )

 

[jchalas]

I know a gal who does metal sculpture and would be happy to have some to work with. Probably not a *ton* of it but I'll ask. PM or email me offlist if you would like to contribute and I'll get an address for you.
Janice

 

[marsguitars]

I know a gal who does metal sculpture and would be happy to have some to work with. ....

What a great idea! Can you post some pictures if whe does anything with them?

 

[silverburst]

Hate to seem like I am starting a round of "ass kiss rodeo", but the Wonder Wipes seem to make my strings seem like new for longer. Of course, then you have to recycle the Wonder Wipes...

My buddy and I haul 2 or 3 tons of old car parts and mixed metals to the scrap metal yard in Wilmington a couple of times a year (just because we hate to throw stuff in the land fill). Anybody that wants to can mail your old strings to me, and I can haul them along next time I go. PM me for an address if you are interested.

Rex

 

[paranoid70]

Hey Rex it's cool you do that. When I re-did my kitchen I took all kinds of Scrap metal to that place. To tell you the truth, I got a lot less $ than I thought I would.

 

[silverburst]

It isn't much money ($75 a ton if I remember right, and I think they rip me off on top of that), but I'm just glad they can re-use the stuff. We don't need to tear up the earth any more than necessary.

So save up your old strings, Eric, and I'll toss them in with the next load...