Klarinet Archive - Posting 000000.txt from 1994/02

From: Cary Karp <nrm-karp@-----.SE>
Subj: Re: Humidity and reeds
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 03:00:33 -0500

As long as the moisture content of a reed doesn't go so low that the
walls of the individual fibers collapse there's no reason why it can't
be fully revived by moistening. It's hard to imagine this being a problem
unless reeds are allow to swell while under mechanical constraint --
don't soak 'em while they're firmly stuck into a reed holder.

One trick which works well for me (and which I thought was common
knowledge) is to keep a piece of flat glass handy at all times -- a
pocket mirror can do just fine. Place the reed flat against the glass,
pushing firmly against its heel with your thumb. Run cold water over the
reed and rub it firmly and repeatedly along it the lay towards the tip.
This will moisten the reed, flatten it, and rinse out accumulated gunk.
The back of the reed can then be burnished smooth by sliding it around on
the glass.

One way or the other, the choice of moistening agents makes a big
difference. The enzymatic content of saliva "digests" the reed, which can
be useful for breaking in a stiff piece of cane. Water is inert, which
can be useful for keeping a broken in piece of cane clean and stable.