Klarinet Archive - Posting 000464.txt from 1996/04

From: Teri Herel <EnsHerel@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Annual Cleaning
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 16:20:29 -0400

Neil,

I like to do everything all at once: Cleaning the tone holes, cleaning and
re-oiling the rods, and oiling the wood. So, I start by removing all of the
key work. I do this (at my repairman's advice) after a day of practicing so
that all that "stuff" in the holes will be softened up and easier to remove.

After I carefully remove the keys, I use damp Q-tips to GENTLY clean out the
tone holes.
It is easy to rip extra cotton off of the Q-tips to make them the right size
for the smaller tone holes.

I then use a lint-free cloth to clean up all of the keys, and the outside of
the clarinet. I use the same cloth to wipe the old oil off of the rods. I
clean out the rod shafts with pipe cleaners (although they do create some
lint. Any better ideas?).

Then I VERY lightly oil the outside of the clarinet (like, I've been using
the same rag to do this for about seven years and have not re-oiled it in at
least five), avoiding the tone holes.

And then it's time to put the keys back on, reoiling the rods and pivot
screws with fresh key oil.

I wait to oil the bore until the next morning when it has had the night
without being played to dry out. For this I use that same rag (which is
attached to a shoe lace) and run it through once or twice.

And that's MY routine. (Hopefully others will add to or amend it...) Some
tips I've discovered: Lay the pieces out in the order you take them off
(doh!) including the screws and work over a large, spread-out, clean towel
(screws will fall onto the towel instead of your shag rug when you inevitably
drop them). A spring hook is an invaluable tool, as is a rubber jar-opener
for grabbing that one stubborn rod. I also do one joint at a time with a
nice break in between. I oil my springs too, the ones that tend to rust, I
think that psycologically this will keep them from rusting out as fast.

In a message dated 96-04-16 02:03:29 EDT, nleupold@-----.edu (Neil
Leupold) writes:

>Teri,
>
>When you clean your toneholes, do you remove all of the keywork? Or do you
>merely run the holes through with a pipe cleaner (or Q-tip for some)?
>What about the register tube? I had a problem with a flat, stuffy throat Bb
>until one day I decided to pull the tube and clean it. It had a dust
>bunny in it the size of Cleveland! Once it was clear, that Bb came
>singing through as if given a new voice. It was glorious.
>
>

   
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