[steverod]

Hi folks.  I don't know if this is the right place but I'm trying to develop a water soluble violin rosin - all on the market are resin  or synthetic resin based.   Not sure where to start. I've tried boiling sugar till it sets hard.  Kinda works but not too well.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

[Borek]

I doubt it will work - when it gets humid sugar will start absorbing water and horse hair (or whatever they use now) will get sticky, that's exactly opposite of what the rosin is designed to do, no?

Think hard candy left in the open.

[steverod]

Thanks for your quick reply.  Being sticky is exactly what the rosin is there to do.  It's possible to use synthetic hair if the rosin doesn't suit horsehair.  Have you any suggestions?  A child's sticky sweet (glucose syrup) did a not too bad a job.  White sugar boiled till it would harden did nothing - the bow slid all over the place.

What I need is a water soluble adhesive that doesn't completely set.  The designer of one non-allergenic rosin used a medical adhesive for his base but that's no good to me as it's not water soluble.

[steverod]

Weirdly brown sugar boiled till hard is nearly perfect.

[billnotgatez]

does brown sugar have molasses in it?

[billnotgatez]

I went to the GOOGLE and got

Molasses contains many compounds, including sugars, salts, acids, and organic and inorganic matter:
Sugars: Sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose, and lévulose
Salts: Calcium, potassium, oxalate, and chloride
Acids: 51-inosinic, guanylic, and adenylic acids
Organic and inorganic matter: Water, ash, and organic non-sugar matter
Other compounds: Phenolic compounds like anisole, phenetole, phenol, m-cresol, salicylic acid, resorcinol, vanillic acid, and syringic acid, as well as organic nitrogen compounds, betaine, and the trisaccharide raffinose

[steverod]

I think brown sugar has plenty of molasses in whilst white none.

[billnotgatez]

I think brown sugar has plenty of molasses in whilst white none.

so very true

Again from the GOOGLE

The main difference between table sugar and brown sugar is the presence of molasses, which gives brown sugar its distinct color, flavor and moisture. The molasses used to make brown sugar comes from sugar cane, not sugar beets.

[steverod]

Sooo, it's those extra bits left in brown that are getting me some traction!  Great holy deduction batman!  Ash is interesting.  Do they sell it at the chemist?

[rolnor]

I think is sebacinic acid, decanoic acid? I think the melting point is very critical, it should melt from the friction of the bow and solidify immediately and stick to the bow, and this is repeated. This is why you get a tone in a violin

[steverod]

I know the heat of friction plays a big role.

[rolnor]

I was wrong its mainly abietic acid

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosin

[steverod]

Ideas for a formula?

[billnotgatez]

From WIKI

SMILES



Chemical formula   C₂₀H₃₀O₂


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abietic_acid#:~:text=Abietic%20acid%20has%20drying%20properties,the%20preparation%20of%20metal%20resinates

[steverod]

Is that water soluble?