Klarinet Archive - Posting 000213.txt from 1994/12

From: "David B. Niethamer" <NIETHAMER@-----.BITNET>
Subj: Re: Hi there and reed trimmers
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 1994 22:19:34 -0500

I make my own reeds, and forming a good tip is crucial to the success of
the process. While a reed will work without strict conformity to the
mouthpiece tip, it will work better if it matches the moutpiece tip.
(please, god, don't let them look in my reed case!). Thus, your clipper
should conform to your mouthpiece tip. With Cordier, good luck. With
Vandoren, you have a fighting chance, although as someone pointed out,
getting an even cut is dicey, even with the adjustability of the clipper.
I've taken to making my tip by hand with some very fine sandpaper (# 320
or 400 seems to work for me), sanding *carefully* from the side toward
the center, until the shape of the moputhpiece tip is matched. According
to my double reed colleagues, this keeps the fibers from being "crushed",
as they are by most clippers. Double reed players make their tips with
*very* sharp knives, also to avoid crushing. I wonder if one could "fix"
the improper shape of a clipper and mitigate the crushing factor with a
little hand touch-up?

David Niethamer