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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000022.txt from 2004/08

From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Re: Mineralization within cane tubules....
Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2004 17:20:22 -0400

Where is the controversy? Amylase in saliva breaks long chain starches into
shorter chains and it converts some starches into soluble sugars. As they
wash away, there is less and less cellulose(long chain indigestible starch)
remaining in the cane to support it. All we will have left is the mushy
stuff. I have easily doubled the life of my rather light bassoon reeds by
always wetting with water before playing them and usually rinsing after
playing and before allowing them to dry.
Herb

> From: PhilFrei@-----.com
> Reply-To: doublereed@-----.org
> Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 12:37:57 EDT
> To: doublereed@-----.org
> Subject: [DR-L] Re: Mineralization within cane tubules....
>
>>> Quoth Mark Charette:
> "There are
> a number of other factors that affect the stiffness of the reed - for
> instance, if there is significant mineralization from your saliva
> clogging the tubules it'll go soft, since it's the presence of water within
> the tubule cylinder that gives the reed its stiffness ...."
> --------------------------------------------------------
> If it is mineralization that prevents water or saliva from getting to
> the tubules and swelling the cane to playing stiffness, then something
> should be available to dissolve this mineralization and restore the flow
> capacities of the tubules?
> Michael Benthin <<
>
> Perhaps this explains why a slight "dusting" of the back and heart of a reed
> can be of such help in reinvigorating a reed: it removes the clogged cane and
> allows water to penetrate further into the reed again?
>
> I wonder, would putting a reed in one of those gizmos that vibrate water at a
> high velocity, with distilled water work as a means of unclogging?
>
> Vinegar, eh? Maybe after it is rinsed off it won't taste so bad...
>
> It seems we have some controversy as to whether saliva digests reeds or not.
>
> - Phil Freihofner
>
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