string breaking test

[Phillip Ford]

>Hello all.
>
>I just made some strings breaking tests, and am a bit in trouble.
>Have that beautiful Bechstein model IV in mint condition, from 1870, with I
>believe original strings on it.
>Asked a friend (engineer) to do the breaking tests on that wire, and at the
>same time, do the same tests on modern wire.  Both tests led to this numbers
>:  1870 wire breaks at about 1500 N/mm� and modern (2000) wire (R�slau) :
>exactly the same.
>Good news : I can restring that 1870 piano with modern wire.
>Bad news : when I read Stephen Paulello papers, the numbers don't match at
>all : he says modern wire should break at something between 1800 and 2200
>N/m�.
>Any comments ?
>
>St�phane Collin

If the piano's in mint condition why do you want to restring it?

Where can we find the Stephen Paulello papers that you refer to?

If the modern wire has a higher breaking strength, then why are you 
concerned?  Are you worried about the yield point?  Are you worried that 
you will have a lower percentage of breaking strength on the wire and that 
this will affect the tone?  Are you worried that the different strengths 
may indicate different material stiffness?

Phil Ford