Fusee cable question

[Chris McVetty]

I have received an English Fusee in for repair with the catgut cable broken. I'm trying to determine the best material to use to replace this. Does anybody know if there is a better method of curing catgut than olive oil?

Thanks for any help

Chris

[Chris McVetty]

I have received an English Fusee in for repair with the catgut cable broken. I'm trying to determine the best material to use to replace this. Does anybody know if there is a better method of curing catgut than olive oil?

Thanks for any help

Chris

[Eckmill]

You and your customer should get together on the decision to replace the original gut fusee cord with either the same gauge animal gut, monofilament fish line or bronze cable. Each has it's own advantage.

My own thought is to replace it with animal gut the same as it was originally. If, however you determine that it was originally a metal link fusee chain, then your customer should help you decide to pursue obtaining a suitable fusee chain.

I understand that many fusee chains were, in the past, "canabalized" and gut, wire and other make-shift lines were substituted. Inspection of the spring barrel and the fusee should reveal if the movement was originally gut or metal fusee chain.

Your query asks about olive oil to cure animal gut fusee line. I don't know how to reply except to comment that olive oil, like most animal and vegetable oils, will in time oxidize and form a sticky goo that eventually hardens. If the objective is to keep the gut pliable, then a mineral oil would serve best in my opinion. And of those, Mobil-1 would be my choice.

PS: I don't have any chains.

Les

[jimkatzin]

The quality of animal gut cord found on the market today is not particularly good, in my opinion. I agree with Gunther that whatever cord you use will not affect the value of the clock, that is, unless it breaks. With that in mind, I would follow Les's advice and figure out whether it had gut or chain originally, and proceed from there. If it were my clock I would not risk using real gut, and I certainly would not use an oil that may give you trouble down the road.


jim

[Chris McVetty]

I appreciate all the input. I have determined that this clock originally had gut from the manner in which the fusee is cut, and mainly am deliberating on the best replacement for the gut. I'm not real comfortable using the current gut available, as I don't want my repairs lasting only several years as the last one did. Does anyone have a recommendation on a good source for steel cable?

Thanks all,

Chris