Doublereed Archive - Posting 000056.txt from 2008/05

From: "David Crispin / Crispin's Creations" <crispinscreations@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 15:37:53 -0400

Herb,

Thanks; having now gorged myself on your long list of specifications, I'm
quite satiated.

Regarding the wood on the handle, I know Meg's knife incorporates Ironwood.
Ironwood (Lignum Vitae-sp?) is the densest and heaviest wood on Earth, even
more so than Grenadilla.

-Crispin

----- Original Message -----
From: "herb fawcett" <herbgosia@-----.net>
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives

> David,
>
> The Good Tone Guild knife.
>
> Total weight 4 oz.
> Total length 184.5mm
> Blade length 90.5mm
> Max width of handle 20.5mm
> Max thickness of handle 14mm
> Width of blade 18mm
> Thickness of blade 4mm
> Top of blade is 10mm below top of handle (approx).
> Edge of blade extends approx 7mm below the bottom edge of the handle.
> The tang is full length and full width of the handle and is the same
> thickness as the blade, slightly tapering in thickness toward the butt end
> of the handle - an artistic consideration (?). Total handle thickness is
> essentially constant, resulting in increased wood thickness at the butt,
> possibly a weight and balance consideration (?).
>
> The hollow-ground bevel starts at 7.5mm below the top edge of the blade
> and
> is cut for right handed use on my knife. My colleague oboist has a left
> handed version. I have rounded the acute angle at the straight-cut tip of
> the blade because I use this area in a reed finishing procedure. The metal
> is some sort of stainless steel and it sharpens easily on my fine diamond
> stone or my Arkansas hone, holding the edge very well, and it will shave
> arm
> hair (useful ?).
>
> The material of the handle is a modern laminated wood material similar to
> that found in custom rifle stocks, and the securing rivets are decorated
> and
> embellished in a bi-metallic star pattern. Some of the handles of these
> knives were made in a less artistic form (rivets etc) and were more
> utilitarian in appearance.
>
> It is a lovely artisanal piece and a pleasure to use. It was not cheap,
> but
> true quality often has a cost that may reflect the art as well as the
> utility.
>
> If I were to order another, I would suggest that the blade should have the
> same rotational axis (mounting point in the handle), but might benefit
> from
> being only 15mm wide, rather than 18mm. That would minimize the "swing" of
> the blade in scraping movements without limiting the length of the scrape.
> That, however, might change the angle of the bevel and affect the
> efficiency
> and the ease of sharpening of the edge.
>
> I hope this is useful to you.
> Herb
>
>
> On 5/7/08 11:24 PM, "David Crispin / Crispin's Creations"
> <crispinscreations@-----.net> wrote:
>
>> Very interesting....
>>
>> So... it's sort of like the height at which the blade is "mounted in the
>> handle" that you like. It's the distance between the center axis of the
>> handle and the knife's edge that you like. (?)
>>
>> Would you be so kind as to measure that distance for me? Would you think
>> that the ideal specification for this distance would vary with other
>> factors, like the weight of the blade or the weight or size of the
>> handle?
>>
>> -Slightly Less Confused But Still In Mississippi
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "herb fawcett" <herbgosia@-----.net>
>> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 11:02 PM
>> Subject: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives
>>
>>
>>> My "balance" reference is to the axis of rotation when scraping. As far
>>> as
>>> I
>>> am concerned, a blade doesn't need to be more than a couple of inches
>>> long,
>>> so I guess that would be tending toward the handle. What I like about
>>> Meg's
>>> knife is that the axis of rotation is right down the center line of the
>>> handle, and that makes it very comfortable for my thumb as the "stop"
>>> and
>>> the swing of the edge is from the thumb down to the edge. It just feels
>>> right. Pushing on the knife is unnecessary because of the weight of the
>>> whole unit and the ultra-sharp edge. It minimizes those embarrassing
>>> notches
>>> in the tip of the reed.
>>> Sometimes with bassoon reeds, I use a pull stroke and this blade is a
>>> little
>>> wide for total comfort with that stroke. I could get used to it, but it
>>> would be better in that application if the blade were just a little
>>> narrower
>>> (for me)
>>> Hope that explains my remark,
>>> Herb
>>>
>>>
>>> On 5/7/08 8:46 PM, "David Crispin / Crispin's Creations"
>>> <crispinscreations@-----.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Herb,
>>>>
>>>> Regarding your comment:
>>>>
>>>> "It is not only beautiful, but very sharp and nicely
>>>> balanced."
>>>>
>>>> Could you tell us more about the "balance" of the knife? I'm a bit
>>>> confused
>>>> about what the desired balance is in a reed knife. Some say that if
>>>> fine
>>>> CONTROL is desired in a knife, then the balance should be more towards
>>>> the
>>>> handle, the opposite of say, a meat cleaver, in which the weight of the
>>>> blade helps to do the cutting. But others say that in a reed knife, the
>>>> balance should be towards the blade, so that the user can let the
>>>> weight
>>>> of
>>>> the blade cause the edge to catch the cane, instead of bearing down.
>>>>
>>>> By the way, I've spoken with Meg about her custom knife maker, and know
>>>> that
>>>> in her custom knife, the tang goes all the way to the end of the
>>>> handle,
>>>> the
>>>> "handle" actually being two "slices" of wood sandwiching the knife's
>>>> tang.
>>>> This would act to put the balance towards the handle, but what do I
>>>> know?
>>>>
>>>> Signed,
>>>>
>>>> Confused in Mississippi
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "herb fawcett" <herbgosia@-----.net>
>>>> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 4:43 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> No, I have one of the first custom knives that Meg ordered from the
>>>>> knife
>>>>> maker in Florida. It is not only beautiful, but very sharp and nicely
>>>>> balanced. I have sharpened stuff for years as a dentist, and the
>>>>> technique
>>>>> doesn't vary a lot, so I don't have the jig etc. except for profiler
>>>>> blades.
>>>>> Too bad Meg was out of the knives.
>>>>> Herb
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 5/7/08 11:48 AM, "Miriam Williams" <mwquacker@-----.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, thanks; I've known Meg for years. She is a very nice person, and
>>>>>> her
>>>>>> customer service is unparalleled IMO.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Do you use the Speedy Sharp, Herb?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Miriam
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "herb fawcett" <herbgosia@-----.net>
>>>>>> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:55 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Miriam,
>>>>>>> That reference was to Meg Cassell at Good tone Guild. A very nice
>>>>>>> person!
>>>>>>> Herb
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 5/7/08 10:35 AM, "Miriam Williams" <mwquacker@-----.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What are you teachers recommending for a decent hollow-ground
>>>>>>>> beginning
>>>>>>>> reed
>>>>>>>> knife these days?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I have a couple Rigotti I like.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I am familiar with "a good reed knife is one you can keep sharp". I
>>>>>>>> seem
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> be able to do that with the Rigotti.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I'm doing some internet reasearch for students who may start
>>>>>>>> reedmaking
>>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>>> summer.
>>>>>>>> Preferably under $30 if possible.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>>> Miriam
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
>>>>>> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
>>>>> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
>>>> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
>>> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
>> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
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