Re-stringing

[Kirby161]

every time i re-string my mando i cant stop the strings (perticularly the e) from snapping while im tuneing them. Ive tuned fast, slow, warm, cool, upside down, but nothing keeps them from snapping at least once.
Is there a trick to this that im not getting or is this just a curse that us mando players must deal with?

The first few times that I changed strings I had the same problem. #I was following the procedures on frets.com and at the step shown here (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring4.html), I was actually crimping the thinner strings resulting in them breaking as I brought them to pitch. #

The other likely cause would be a burr or rough spot on the nut.

[AlanN]

One trick Charlie showed me a long time ago is to orient the string post so that the hole is at a right angle to the north-south plane of the mandolin, then pass the string through and string her up. Works like a charm, thanks Charlie http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif