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String Oil in History
By Adam Guggemos
“It is thought that there is still a slight operation to be done to the strings before putting them up for sale; it probably consists of rubbing them with oil to soften them and make them even more supple: but the gut makers make a mystery of this; they assure that they do not use oil, and that it is in this last maneuver that the whole secret of their art consists. The Boyaudiers [gut casing makers] are right to assure that they do not use oil to soften and give sound to their strings, but they do use salts extracted from wine lees.”
Dictionnaire Universel des Arts et Métiers - 1778 (Dictionary of Universal Reason of Arts and Crafts - 1778) - Edited by M. Abbé Jaubert. Amable Leroy/Lyon, 1801
There is modern interest among players in wiping down strings with oil (or even deer tallow), but we have not found this practice useful. If you insist on using oil on gut strings, almond oil is the least detrimental, as it leaves little residue and dries more completely, versus olive oil or other vegetable oils which do not dry completely and can lead to strings becoming gummy or even rancid, and may reduce their durability. During production, Gamut natural gut strings are hand-rubbed with a light oil, and shouldn't need any additional oil or aftermarket liquids once on your instrument — provided they are stored in a humidity- and temperature-controlled environment.
Gamut Music does not recommend soaking strings in oil or any other solution, as this can interfere with the string’s natural water-collagen bonding, disrupt its hygroscopic balance, and potentially weaken the structural integrity of the fibers.
The historical use (and modern misinterpretation) of aftermarket string oil by players most likely arose out of the necessity to make do with low-quality strings that were noticeably brittle due to age, poor manufacturing, and/or improper storage. This was well before a modern understanding of toxicology, so nearly everything was on the table — recommendations could easily have included soaking in mercury, if an unscrupulous string purveyor believed it would sell more low-quality strings. Just because a practice was historically used does not mean it was the best practice.
“…Ordinarily therefore we choose lute strings by the freshness, or new making; that which appears unto us by their clear and oiliness, as they lie in the box or bundle; yet herein we are often deceived, for oil at any time will make strings look clear, and therefore this trick is too, too commonly used to them when they are old.”
A Varietie of Lute-Lessons: viz. Fantasies, Pauins, Gilliards, Almaines, Corantoes, and Volts, Selected Out of the Best Approued Avthors, As Well Beyond the Seas As of Our Owne Country - Robert Dowland and John Dowland. Thomas Adams/London, 1610
“Some people wrap their spare strings in bladder or flannel moistened with oil, a process which, even if the oil does not go rancid (as it generally does), can only be characterized as “horrid.” The mess involved in putting on a new greasy string is enough, if you are not of a seraphic [angelic] disposition (I am not), to make you touchy for the rest of the performance.”
Violin-making, as it Was and Is: Being a Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Treatise on the Science and Art of Violin-making, for the Use of Violin Makers and Players, Amateur and Professional - Edward Heron-Allen. Ward, Lock, & Co./London, 1885
Various oils were sometimes historically recommended for gut strings — again, frequently because the string stock was of poor quality to begin with — but as one can see, not everything is created equal, even 200 years ago:
“… the fifth work, the smearing can no longer improve the mistake [refers to the too hot drying in the sulfur box]. This must be done with the best oils. But not every oil is suitable for this: no matter how pure and odorless it may be; and in the selection of it the chief cause may be found, why the strings now made are so dry and brittle, and last so little. Only olive oil, with or without almond oil, is suitable for lubricating the gut strings. All vegetable oils, poppy, rapeseed, sunflower, etc., are completely unsuitable for this because of their resinous components, even if they are mixed with olive oil, because they dry out, make the strings brittle, and apart from the unpleasant sounding of the tones, they rob them of all durability.
It should therefore not be useless to draw the attention of the makers of gut strings to this, for if one traces the point in time at which the strings begin to become untenable, one will find that it is the time when the above-mentioned vegetable oils became known to us, and because of its low price it is also sold mixed with olive oil, so that, except in pharmacies, it is almost impossible to get pure olive oil.
This should not be said as if the structure of the oil plants is not desirable, but only that the oil made from them for lubricating the strings is harmful, and not even suitable for lubricating the spinning wheels, as good as it is for dressing and glazing a salad.”
[German] Neues Kunst und Gewerbeblatt 9, 1823 (New Art and Trade Journal, Vol. 9, 1823) - Polytechnic Association for the Kingdom of Bavaria, 1823
Excerpt translated from [German] [PDF] Meisterleistungen Deutscher Instrumentenbaukunst, Bd. 8: Saitenherstellung in Markneukirchen und im Vogtland (Masterpieces of German Instrument Making, Vol. 8: String Production in Markneukirchen and In the Vogtland) - Kai Köpp, Jane Achtman, Johannes Gebauer (editors). Markneukirchen/Bern, 2019