The string jerk.

[Tim R]

The string jerk is not a person, but rather a phenomenon I am experiencing. When tightening wound strings, I am getting audible chirping sound at the nut that suggests that the string is catching and then releasing when enough force is applied, kinds like an earthquake. Well, kind of like that. This makes the guitar very difficult to tune. I am using those expensive proper sized nut files. What do you all suggest? Ream out the slots with the files a bit? Try to apply some powder graphite to the slots?

Thanks, Tim

[tippie53]

often the back of the nut may be too sharp. I make my slots a touch wider and have the bottom of the nut at a curve. Think that the string doesn't bend at one point but needs an arc . See if that helps.

[Darryl Young]

Use a nut file that is larger than the diameter of the string by a few thousands. Then make sure you don't have an edge or corner (the string typically cahnges angle) that may be catching a string. I cut the string slots at about half the angle needed to align with the tuner so the string has half the side to side bend on entrance and half on exit. Also, I angle the file down so that roughly half the bend of the downward angle is on the entrance to the nut slot and the other half is on the exit from the nut slot.

[Tom West]

Good tips by John And Darryl. You can also roll your file to widen the slot just a tad.
Tom

[Tim R]

Thanks for the responses everyone. As a first pass I tried just flossing the slot with the strings, focusing little toward the front side of the nut. This appears to have worked. I suppose there is some risk of inadvertent slight changing of scale length by doing this. Next time I will try the methods listed above.

Tim