Klarinet Archive - Posting 000459.txt from 1995/03

From: Neil Leupold <Neil_Leupold@-----.COM>
Subj: RE>Key Plating
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 13:50:02 -0500

Reply to: RE>Key Plating
Jeremy Krider wrote:

"Any suggestions on protecting your keys from wearing down to the
base elements? What about spots where the plating is already gone?"

I've made it a habit, like brushing my teeth before going to bed, to buff my
instrument(s) with a simple piece of soft cotton cloth at the end of each day
(or even as soon as possible after playing) to wipe away the acid residue left
behind by my fingertips, shining away the fingerprints and bringing the plating
to a gleam. A simple plain white t-shirt (no logos or artwork), folded in half
symmetrically at the arms for thickness, does just fine and "protects" the
plating without any corrosive cleaning agent. Occasionally, like once every
couple of weeks, I'll take one of those pre-treated cleaning cloths (like the
"Blitz" cloth or another one made by Selmer) and go over the plating with it
like an acid wash, wiping the plating totally clean of residue. If you do
this, go over it again completely with the plain white t-shirt, lest the agent
from the treated cloth remain on your keys and corrode the plating that way.

I don't know of anything that can be done for areas that have already been worn
of their plating, other than to have the key removed and replated. Others on
the List would know where to go for that service. I imagine it's actually
reasonably priced to have that done.

Neil

Jeremy D. Krider
Clarinet/Keyboard
Salisbury Symphony Orchestra
<jdkrider@-----.edu>