Klarinet Archive - Posting 000360.txt from 1995/02

From: CLARK FOBES <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Bore Oils
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 1995 14:56:55 -0500

To oil or not to oil....

I have just read the most informative and cogent discussion on oiling
grenadilla clarinets that I have ever seen.The article is:

Naylor, Larry. "Grenadilla Wood and the Environment" The
Woodwind Quarterly,No.6, August 1994.

All of us have been subjected to the various unsupported arguments for
oiling or not oiling clarinets and to discussions of petroleum based vs.
organic oils (Olive or Almond). I have always stood squarely in the
middle. I don't oil instruments at all! However, my thoughts have
changed since reading this article.

Mr. Naylor's article is too long and involved to attempt to paraphrase
and do him and the information justice. I suggest finding the srticle
and reading it.

The basic premise is that petroleum based oils will never work in an
organic system (wood). The author also makes a very strong case for not
only oiling clarinets with a mixture of almond oil, olive oil and
vitamin E, but for a total immersion in the solution for several days.

His work also supports indirectly my observations that clarinets change
over time and exhibit playing characteristics that commonly come under
the term "blown out".

Mr. Naylor discusses the problems of extremely dry conditions as well as
extremely humid conditons and the effect on grenadilla wood. A careful
reading of this article will dispell any mythology about how and why
clarinets warp and crack.

I am certain that the publisher of the WQ, Scott Hirsch, would be more
than happy to sell any remaining copies. Mr Hirsch is a fairly frequent
contributor to this list. His E-mail address is WQ@-----.com

Clark W Fobes