Jump on any harp related forum or discussion group and you will almost certainly find complaints from players about reed failure. Reed failure is simply the point where the reed either breaks or goes severely out of tune. This happens because of stress on the reeds. The road to reed failure starts as soon as the reed begins to vibrate. The reed stress is highest at the base of the reed near the rivet. This also happens to be a spot where there are micro scratches and cracks