Pearse String Swipes

**gonzograss** · Dec-01-2009, 7:35pm

Anybody have suggestions as to what to add to the Pearse string swipes when they get dried out? I like what they do for my strings. But....I've only used 3 or 4 and the remaining ones are dry as a bone. I have NOT left the container open for more than a few seconds. Individually packaged swipes seem terribly wasteful of whatever the packaging is, not to mention not very economical.
I've e-mailed the company and gotten no response.
I phoned the company and spoke to a rep who had no satisfactory answer but who promised to get back to me. This has not happened and I made the call a month ago.
I hope somebody can tell me what to add to my dried out swipes so they're useable again. I've tried using them dry, but they don't seem to clean the strings.
HELP!
Thanks,
Joe Hannabach

**fredfrank** · Dec-01-2009, 10:26pm

I recommend a product called Stringlife. It comes in a plastic bottle with a self-contained applicator. You can use your dry wipes to buff the strings dry after application! Not only does this product clean, but it makes the strings sound almost brand new. It's a nice thing for when you don't have time to change your strings, but you have to go onstage and sound good right now.

No financial interest -- just a loyal customer.

http://www.janetdavismusic.com/stringlife.html

**steve V. johnson** · Dec-02-2009, 2:26am

I love these things, and a plastic jar of them lasted a couple of years for me, and I use them on two guitars, a bouzouki and a mandolin. String Swipes both extend the life of my strings and they make the strings feel good and seem to keep my hand gunge (which isn't a lot, really, unless it's summer and I'm playing outside a lot) from aging the strings.

I thought that my Swipes were dried out a while ago, but when I used them on the strings they cleaned pretty well anyway. But, yeah... they can dry out.

Pearse string swipes are square canvas patches (like gun cleaning patches) soaked with Caig DeOxit. Caig makes a bunch of products for cleaning electronic contacts and keeping metal parts
clean and free of oxidation, and DeOxit is about the most well-known and it seems to be the variant that is for the most general use.

If you look around, you'll find Caig DeOxit available in several forms and the main form is a pressurized spray can in various sizes.

Since you have dry patches left in the round plastic can, I'd suggest that you look for some Caig DeOxit in a size that you think fits your needs and re-soak your patches with the DeOxitt as you think necessary.

Btw, I usually clean the strings first with isopropyl alcohol, the kind without any water added (that's important, no water) and then treat them with the String Swipes.

I have NFI in Pearse nor Caig. I hope this helps.

stv

**grassrootphilosopher** · Dec-02-2009, 4:37am

Gun oil does the trick, I´ve been told. (Another option would be flute oil - stuff that´s used for recorders)

**Steve Perry** · Dec-02-2009, 10:41am

I keep my can of String Swipes in a zip-loc sandwich bag. That seems to keep them from drying out too much.

**Tim2723** · Dec-03-2009, 12:38am

According to the MSDS, the primary active ingredient seems to be Stoddard solvent (dry-cleaning fluid). The bore oil used for flutes is primarily mineral oil.

**gonzograss** · Dec-03-2009, 1:57am

Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback.
Will try both Stringlife and Caig Deoxit.
Sure didn't want to toss the swipes as they worked so well when moist.
Also I will summarize this info and send it to Pearse even though they didn't seem too forthcoming.
Mucous Garcias,
Joe Hannabach

**Steve Ostrander** · Dec-04-2009, 9:48am

I have a can of GC De-Ox-Id. It lists the ingredients as heptane, VM & P naptha, mineral oil, and
CO2 (propellant?) It is listed as an electronic contact cleaner and contains no silicone.

Is this similar to Caig Deoxit? I wonder if I could use it on my strings?

**gonzograss** · Dec-23-2009, 2:27am

Well. . . Color me pink! I looked around and found Caig's Deoxit at Winter Sound in Gloucester Point, VA (near where I live). Of all places - a music store! And I am embarrassed to admit that while I was spraying a shot of Deoxit into my String Swipes, my eyes happened to wander to the lid of the swipes and there it was, at the bottom of the other identifying info, the words:
"with Caig's Deoxit." Jeesh!
Thanks to those who commented, and my apologies to the Pearse folks. Although I wish they'd pointed that out to me. Anyway the story has a happy (if embarrassing) ending.

Joe Hannabach

**Ivan Kelsall** · Dec-24-2009, 1:17am

"Deoxit" sounds as though it's primarily an anti-oxidant. I often use a similar product easily found in electronics stores -"Servisol" switch cleaner. It's a cleaner & anti-oxidant used to clean electric contacts & to help prevent them re-oxidising.The anti-oxidant is a very fine lubricating oil.The stuff works great on strings. Spray it on a cloth,wipe the gunge off the strings & then wipe the excess oil off the strings. I'd hesitate to say that it prolongs string life,as most of the fatigue that causes strings to loose tone is due to playing,but it certainly makes the strings feel easy under the fingers,
Ivan