Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

[nahfuten]

Stewart Macdonald says this is slipperier than a GraphTech.....

Anyone know for sure?

I need opinions on nut material for my LP and Strat, as I bend strings and use the tremolo a lot now.

Also, I am going to be buying some nut files. Any ideas on which sizes would be the most versatile as to to avoid buying the whole set ($$$$$$) :11:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

I use the Slip Stone nuts in every strat and Tele I own...Not sure if it's actually as slippery as Graphite,but it looks right in white,plus it looks like bone..Great stuff..I always make my own nuts!

John

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

Delrin is also a self lubricating material, very similar in principle to Graph-Tech´s "Trem Nut"

Whether it´s slipperier or not: If it isn´t, you won´t notice unless one of the nuts is cut badly (A properly cut BONE nut holds it´s tuning just as well as a Trem-Nut). And if it is, you won´t be able to say for sure without a laboratory

*Edit* To be honest, when I look at Trem-Nut shavings, I wouldn´t be too surprised if they´re the exact same thing, the material does have an uncanny resemblance to delrin now that someone mentions it.......

 

[orbiter]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

yes .. it is slipperier than graphite or tusq.

it works great .. but it does wear faster too ..

also files/shapes/sands very quickly and easily.. takes me about 1/2 the time to make a slipstone nut as it does a bone one..

I would recommend buying the set of files ... it's worth it.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

yes .. it is slipperier than graphite or tusq.

it works great .. but it does wear faster too ..

also files/shapes/sands very quickly and easily.. takes me about 1/2 the time to make a slipstone nut as it does a bone one..

I would recommend buying the set of files ... it's worth it.

slip stone it is!

Thanks guys!

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

I got an extra-fine Xacto saw and use it to start all of the nut slots plus:
.010 file
.012/.016 combo file
.026/.032 combo file
.046 file

All from StewMac. The sizes are either dead on or very close, but smaller than, string sizes for "regular light" electric guitar guages. Saves a little bit from buying a full set in exact sizes.

About Orbiter's comments, given how hard it is to make a really good nut, I don't want it to wear out. Can't comment on Delrin from personal experience, just know that starting out I was really happy to bat .500 for the first 5 finished products.

Sure pro luthiers do much better, but it still takes a lot of patience to do it right. Look at all of the Fender, Gibson, etc. guitars that come stock with less-than-perfect nuts. If it were easy, they'd nail it themselves.

Chip

 

[rspst14]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

The Earvana nuts I use are Delrin...when cut properly, I have zero problems with strings binding in the nut. Although as someone mentioned, they do wear faster than graphite, especially with heavy tremolo use.

Are you cutting the slots from scratch, or are you just lowering them a bit on a precut nut? Nut files are nice, but they are very expensive. A cheaper and "almost as good" alternative is a set of welding torch tip cleaners. These are small round files which cost around $5 a set. You may need to buy a separate file for the high E slot, but it's still a much more cost effective solution than buying a set of gauged nut files. If you're cutting the nut from scratch and you plan to do this a lot, invest in a set of gauged slotting files. But otherwise, the tip cleaners work very well. Either way, you want to use a file that's equal to or slightly larger than the string you plan to use, so you can get away with a 12 gauge file for a 10 gauge string, 28 gauge file for a 26 gauge string, etc. The problem is that I haven't been able to find a set that covers a standard 10-46 set without costing an arm and a leg. The Warmoth set has four of the six files needed, although you didn't mention which gauges you were using, so it's hard to tell you which set to get.

Ryan

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Slip-Stone "Delrin" Nut?

....Either way, you want to use a file that's equal to or slightly larger than the string you plan to use, so you can get away with a 12 gauge file for a 10 gauge string, 28 gauge file for a 26 gauge string, etc. The problem is that I haven't been able to find a set that covers a standard 10-46 set without costing an arm and a leg. The Warmoth set has four of the six files needed, although you didn't mention which gauges you were using, so it's hard to tell you which set to get.

Ryan

I disagree on this one...if you use the files this way, the bottom of the slot will be round, and the sides will be flat... while not a problem in any way, shape or form, the idea is to get the slot as small as possible without causing binding.....

for a 0.026 for example I use a 0.020 file and roll it slightly while filing...this gets the extra width, and the entire slot stays round.....

On trem guitars in the other hand I use Razor-saw blades for the cutting, all the way up to the actual polishing (where i also use sandpaper like everyone else)...this is because I believe a flat bottom causes less friction on a guitar with a trem....... shaping the slot correctly is admittedly a bitch, though