Uses
Rosin is an ingredient in printing inks, photocopying and laser printing paper, varnishes, adhesives (glues), soap, paper sizing, soda, soldering fluxes, and sealing wax.
Rosin can be used as a glazing agent in medicines and chewing gum. It is denoted by E number E915. A related glycerol ester (E445) can be used as an emulsifier in soft drinks. In pharmaceuticals, rosin forms an ingredient in several plasters and ointments.
In industry, rosin is a flux used in soldering. The lead-tin solder commonly used in electronics has about 1% rosin as a flux core helping the molten metal flow and making a better connection by reducing the refractory solid oxide layer formed at the surface back to metal. It is frequently seen as the burnt or clear residue around new soldering.
A mixture of pitch and rosin is used to make a surface against which glass is polished when making optical components such as lenses.
Rosin is added in small quantities to traditional linseed oil/sand gap fillers, used in building work.
When mixed with waxes and oils, rosin is the main ingredient of mystic smoke, a gum which, when rubbed and suddenly stretched, appears to produce puffs of smoke from the finger tips.
Rosin is extensively used for its friction-increasing capacity in several fields:
- Players of bowed string instruments rub cakes or blocks of rosin on their bow hair so it can grip the strings and make them speak, or vibrate clearly. Extra substances such as beeswax, gold, silver, tin, or meteoric iron are sometimes added to the rosin to modify its stiction/friction properties, and (disputably) the tone it produces. Powdered rosin is often applied to new hair, for example with a felt pad or cloth, to reduce the time taken in getting sufficient rosin onto the hair. Rosin is often applied to the bow before playing the instrument. Lighter rosin is used for violins and violas. There are darker rosins for cellos and specific, distinguishing types for basses—for more see Bow (music).
- Violin rosin can be applied to the bridges in other musical instruments, such as the Banjo and Banjolele, in order to prevent the bridge from moving during vigorous playing.
- Ballet, flamenco, and Irish Dancers are known to rub the tips and heels of their shoes in powdered rosin to reduce slippage on clean wooden dance floors or competition/permanence stages. - it was at one time used in the same way in fencing and is still used as such by boxers.
- Gymnasts use it to improve grip.
- Olympic weightlifters rub the soles of their weightlifting boots in rosin to improve traction on the platform.
- Applied onto the starting line of drag racing courses used to improve traction.
- Bull riders rub rosin on their rope and glove for additional grip.
- Baseball pitchers and ten-pin bowlers may use small cloth bag of powdered rosin for better ball control.
- Fine Art; Used for tempera emulsions and as painting-medium component for oil paintings. Soluble in oil of turpentine and turpentine substitute, needs to be warmed.
- Dog groomers use powdered rosin to aid in removal of excess hair from deep in the ear canal.
- Some brands of fly paper use a solution of rosin and rubber as the adhesive.
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