Wearless Mechanism (U.S. Patent #6,812,391 #6,653,539)

 

The Wearless Mechanism  was created to further improve the stability and dependability of our already highly acclaimed mechanism and key work. The idea is simple but profound. Specially formulated plastic inserts are installed at common points of friction to reduce playing wear & noise. These inserts provide a smoother action and response for an extended period of time while prolonging the life of the mechanism. Also, the Wearless inserts reduce the need for adjustment to the mechanism during overhauls time which often entails having to swedge the mechanism tubing. 

 

 

What is Swedging?

 

Swedging is a special technique used in the musical instrument repair industry to remove "play" of the keys or remove lateral movement of the mechanism between posts created by years of wear and tear from playing. Although this is a common technique, it is a tricky one and under the wrong hands an instrument can suffer disaster. To swedge, the technician uses a special tool to squeeze and elongate the mechanism tubing, which in theory returns the length of the tube back to the original condition. The trick is not to stretch too far or leave the end squared or burred. Ultimately, swedging weakens the mechanism tubing over the years if repeated.

 

With the Wearless Mechanism Inserts, the fear of a damaged mechanism is subtracted out of the equation. The Wearless Mechanism inserts strengthen the instrument and at the time of an overhaul the inserts can be easily replaced without having to swedge at any point in time. This ingenious idea allows players to focus more on making beautiful music and less on whether their flute will perform consistently without failure, no matter how much they play, before and during critical auditions, demanding concerts, and recording sessions!

 

 

The Nagahara Wearless Mechanism inserts are available exclusively on Nagahara Flutes as an added option and come in three levels of installation:

 

• Type I: Basic (9 inserts)

• Type II: Standard (18 inserts)

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