Black B500

[UKarcher]

A question for all you string makers. I've recently changed from using B50 to B500, only because BCY has a greater color range. One thing I have noticed is the black B500 that I've bought is not very colorfast. It's almost as if the color has leeched into the wax and the wax has dried out. As soon as you start working it, your fingers are covered in lots of small black specks, and the string is almost gray in parts. Compared to the B50 which was a nice glossy black, this stuff is poor.
I'm not trying to knock BCY, as I bought this from a third party. I'm just trying to figure this out for my own piece of mind as well as my customers.
Have I been sold old, dry stock, or is this something I have to live with?

[LBR]

Sounds like old stock, or possibly a bad run of material.  E-mail Ray at BCY (bcyray@msn.com)and see what he can tell you.  My bet is he'll let you exchange it.

In my experience, BCY may over-do it with the wax causing some of the darker colors to bleed (I order mine "lightly waxed"), but what you got doesn't sound right.

Chad

[UKarcher]

Thanks Chad, I was hoping you'd see this post.

I didn't think it was quite right, because all the other colors were fine. I know the red always bleeds out, but this was different.

It was actually chipping off and bringing the color with it, leaving bare patches.

I think I'll order direct from BCY next time. The only reason I used this particular supplier was they used Paypal.

Graham