What do you do when you crack or break a cymbal.

I use Piaste Signature Series Cymbals.  I have had my cymbals for 16 years and they still sound great.  I love the sound that I am able to get live and in the studio.  Well not to long ago I cracked my 14" fast china.  I cut it down, using a dremel, to an 8" splash.  The sound was great.  I then cracked the 17" crash.  I cut it down to 16" and then place circles all through out the cymbal.  I can promise you that it sounds great once again.  It will be hard to get me to ever leave paiste.  It does not matter what you do to them it will just make them sound even better every time.  Check out the pics on my site.

Ron

I rarely crack cymbals..When I have though, they were 16" crashes (Which I dont use anymore. I just use 18" and 19" crashes), and splash cymbals..I once did crack a pair of high hats around the bell. Funny, they were all Zildjians..I have been a Sabian endoser for about 8 years now.

Some cymbals are fried once cracked, depending on the location of the crack. If it's internal, the crack following the lathe mark, it's not that bad, but if on the edge, the buzz of metal is generated, and sometimes sounds really bad. I  know alot of guys who cut the crack out like a piece of pie, or some drill a small hole to refrain the crack from "wandering" any further. This works, but makes the cymbal weak, and the crack will usually split out of the drilled hole and continue it's quest to tick you off.

The garbage is usually where you see them end up, or on the wall, growing dust, remembering the days when it once had a voice..I have also cut them down to smaller sizes as did Ron..They just weren't the same though..Maybe cause they were Zildjians..I'm glad to see Ron has had better luck with his Swiss brass than I with my Turkish ones..

If you find time, ck out DREAM cymbals..I checked them out in Los Angeles,and was very impressed..I will be adding some to my arsenal in the near future..  www.dreamcymbals.com

*note* Please don't think I'm ragging on Zildjian..They are GREAT cymbals..