how to loosen a disc to adjust it?

[Sylvia]

It is a bass disc…5th F wire. I want to adjust the disc, but I can’t get it loose. I know about levering the screwdriver between the arms to loosen it before turning the screw, but it just won’t loosen. It’s been too many years and is probably corroded. I always heard we shouldn’t put lubricant on them, and I don’t want to force it.

[marcia-farkas]

Do you have any sewing machine oil? A few drops should loosen it for you!

[emma-graham]

Or maybe a teeny tiny spray of WD40?

Silly question (but you never know ;)) – are you levering it the right way to loosen the locking screw? Even though the discs are reverse threaded you still have to lever it anticlockwise to loosen it initially.

[marcia-farkas]

Do NOT use WD40!

[Sylvia]

Yes, I know about the the counterclockwise stuff. As for the lubricant, Marcia, have you used it? I’m about to put something on it, but as I said, I’ve always heard it’s not good to do that, but I wouldn’t know why.
I’m kind of hoping for a harp tech to tell us the best thing. Probably my harps are older than most of the ones here on the forum. This is my Aoyama ’89.

[patricia-jaeger]

Sylvia , there is a web page listing many harp technicians, their contact information, etc. You could try to get a good answer from one of those listed, at:
http://www.lyonhealy.com/techguild.htm. Robert E. Hohlbauch, in Vancouver Washington, trained on Aoyama harps in Japan,, for example. Some harps from other countries are manufactured with backward screw thread direction in their screws, from the direction used throughout the U.S.A. so it is important to check with a technician for an operation such you wish to perform. Good luck!

[marcia-farkas]

My information came directly from a harp tech. sewing machine oil will loosen and not rust like WD40. You can put a few drops on an ear swab and gently go in back of the disc. The harps I have used this method on were build in 1910 and 1911. I would consider your harp rather new!

[carl-swanson]

Sylvia- Start by unwinding the string and moving it out of the way. Then put a screwdriver crossways through the prongs of the disc and rotate the disc in a counterclockwise direction. That will loosen the grip of the screw. Then unscrew the screw in the same direction, counterclockwise.

[Tacye]

If constant pressure won’t release it sometimes exactly the same force but applied as a sharp tap will break screws free.

[carl-swanson]

Sylvia- What make of instrument is this anyway? And about how old is it?

[Sylvia]

This is my Aoyama Etude ’89.
I already tried the screwdriver crossways to try to get the disc to move. It won’t.
That’s why I wondered about a lubricant. I know not to use WD40. Marcia swears by sewing machine oil…if that doesn’t work, maybe the Viscotene will. I’m a big fan of leaving it alone if I can get by with it as is…wait till I’m not too busy.

[carl-swanson]

I think maybe your not exerting enough pressure. The disc is brass, the screw is steel. They don’t corrode together.

[Sylvia]

I don’t want the disc arm to break off. Then it’s really hard to get off because there’s only one arm to lever against (I levered between the disc and the screw head that time)…that was my LH ’71. The place that’s stuck would be whatever happens there after years of togetherness.

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