black dust from fluorocarbons...

UkerDanno

UkerDanno

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I posted about my strumming finger getting black from strumming Living Waters strings before and no one else had a problem. Well, it seems it's not just Living Waters. One other lady in our group had black from Living Waters, but another guy playing an 8 string with Worth clears had a very black finger and another guy with Worth Browns also had black dust on his finger, his uke and strings were new!

No one else has ever had this happen? I played Martins for a couple years on my C1K and never noticed this happening.
 
Are you sure it's from the strings?

There's nothing chemically in a clear flourocarbon that should be black.
But.. most frets are some kinda brass, which can produce a black oxide.
If you ever tried to polish brass.. you'll know what it looks like.
 
I've been using fluorocarbon strings, including Worth Browns, for a long time and this has never happened to me.

What we need here is a chemist that can go through the composition of the polymers and figure out if there is something that will cause this.

Maybe the hot temps in AZ?

Maybe it's the music selections (lol)?

John
 
Wow this is strange. I've had nothing but fluorocarbons, including Fremont blacklines ;-) and never a hint of color or residue. An early indicator of the zombie apocalypse?
 
UkerDanno said:
I posted about my strumming finger getting black from strumming Living Waters strings before and no one else had a problem. Well, it seems it's not just Living Waters. One other lady in our group had black from Living Waters, but another guy playing an 8 string with Worth clears had a very black finger and another guy with Worth Browns also had black dust on his finger, his uke and strings were new!
Click to expand...

I think we can figure this out. Just a couple questions to help us deduce:

1. Did you serve any donuts or pastries at this meeting?
2. In addition to playing ukulele, did the group also do any automotive repair?
3. Was the man with the black finger an african american?
 
70sSanO said:
What we need here is a chemist that can go through the composition of the polymers and figure out if there is something that will cause this.
Click to expand...

I have a degree in chemistry....
Flourocarbons are very inert.

That's why I think it's something else... and was pointing at the frets. We often strum on the frets.
Next time you re-string.. take a white paper towel and rub your frets and see if it comes off black.
 
Also.... some ukes.. esp cheaper ones... dye/paint the fretboard to make it black.
Maybe that's what's rubbing off?

It just doesn't seem like clear flourocarbons have anything in them that could turn black.
 
spookelele said:
It just doesn't seem like clear flourocarbons have anything in them that could turn black.
Click to expand...

It's Fluoro "carbon"!

Also, don't think it's the frets or fingerboard, 2 of the ukes are Kanile'a the other 2, Ohanas. I didn't have any problems when I had Aquilas on my Kanile'a...

blodzoom said:
I think we can figure this out. Just a couple questions to help us deduce:

1. Did you serve any donuts or pastries at this meeting?
2. In addition to playing ukulele, did the group also do any automotive repair?
3. Was the man with the black finger an african american?
Click to expand...

NO, NO and NO! :shaka:
 
I still think it's the frets.

Brass is copper and zinc.
Copper oxide is black.
 
I've had fluorocarbon strings on a few of my ukes and have never noticed any black on my fingers. I just played one tonight for about two hours with the Los Angeles Music Center Christmas Ukulele Orchestra and no black.
 
I'll try,

What do you keep your ukulele in when you are not playing it ? Is it a case with black plush lining ? Because the oil left on the strings from you hands could be rubbing against some cheap chinese dye on the plush material and resting on the strings... Then when you strum your ukulele it could transfer onto your finger.

You might also want to check some other things you touch when playing your uke maybe your tuner or case.

Second theory, Do you play from a book that has been photocopied or printed ? It could be toner or ink from the jam book you are using.
 
Last edited:
spookelele said:
I still think it's the frets.

Brass is copper and zinc.
Copper oxide is black.
Click to expand...

The vast majority of ukulele frets are made of a nickel silver alloy. Although they do exist, it is rather rare to see them made of brass, copper alloy or stainless steel.
 
Do the ukes you are experiencing this with have a truss rod ?
 
Brian1 said:
Do the ukes you are experiencing this with have a truss rod ?
Click to expand...

NO

Brian1 said:
What do you keep your ukulele in when you are not playing it ? Is it a case with black plush lining ? Because the oil left on the strings from you hands could be rubbing against some cheap chinese dye on the plush material and resting on the strings... Then when you strum your ukulele it could transfer onto your finger.
Click to expand...

I've thought about that, it's a possibility...I rubbed the case lining, nothing came off. I'll check what the other people are keeping their ukes in.
 
UkerDanno said:
I've thought about that, it's a possibility...I rubbed the case lining, nothing came off. I'll check what the other people are keeping their ukes in.
Click to expand...

It could be dust / fluff in there you might try to use a dust buster or something and see if that helps.
 
Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
The vast majority of ukulele frets are made of a nickel silver alloy. Although they do exist, it is rather rare to see them made of brass, copper alloy or stainless steel.
Click to expand...

Hmm..

Ok.

Nickel oxide is black.
Silver oxide is black.

lots of metal oxides are black.
 
I recently changed a set of strings on an ukulele, Living Waters to Fremont Blackline. I didn't clean or polish the frets but I did oil the fret board. When I wiped the fretboard down before fitting the new strings the cloth went black and the frets became shiny. From this extremely unscientific evidence I decided that the blackness came from the frets.

On which hand do the fingers go black?

Shooters of my acquaintance refer to some people having "bad hands". If these people touch a gun there is a higher risk of subsequent rusty finger prints than normal. Maybe there's something like that going on here?
 
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