Doublereed Archive - Posting 000058.txt from 2008/05

From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] oboe reed knives
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 14:53:57 -0400

This one is a lovely laminate with shades varying from red to charcoal, just
like my custom Ruger 10/22 with its stainless target barrel.
Herb

On 5/8/08 12:37 PM, "David Crispin / Crispin's Creations"
<crispinscreations@-----.net> wrote:

> 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
>>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> For personal help: email doublereed-owner@-----.org
> Doublereed is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
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