Klarinet Archive - Posting 000255.txt from 1996/06

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Reed Knives
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 01:17:06 -0400

On Sun, 16 Jun 1996, Fred Jacobowitz wrote:

> Forget about those overpriced "reed knives" and use what I use...
> a swiss army knofe. The metal is excellent quality and it holds an edge
> well.

I'm afraid I can't agree with this advice. I'm sure we have all noticed
that our Swiss army knives don't rust very readily. That's because they
are made of stainless steel (look for the word "rostfrei" on it if it is
the genuine article). This means that the steel has a high nickle
content, and as a result it is a relatively soft metal. What is needed
in a reed knife is a hard steel which will take a razor sharp edge and
hold it for a long time. The best steel for this is a high-carbon steel.

Now, for working on clarinet and saxophone reeds, this is not such a
critical matter as it is in the case of bassoon reeds and even more so
for oboe reeds.

The best of the 20 or so reed knives I own is a Landwell. They are made
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and were designed by a metalurgist and an
oboist. They developed an entirely new steel alloy for the knives. They
have three different kinds of steel, representing three different
densities. The three types are designated "S", "M", and "H," generally
indicating soft, medium and hard. I like the S for oboe reeds and final
finishing on bassoon reeds, the M for most work on bassoon reeds, and M
or H for single reeds. They also have different blade profiles:
beveled, double hollow ground, and some other combinations. I like the
double hollow ground. They will make a special short model for clarinet
and saxophone players which reduces the chances of digging into the edge
of the easel and thereby dulling the blade.

The Landwell knives cost about $45 US the last time I checked. For
something a little cheaper (under $30) and still very good, I can
recommend the knife which was for years known as the Herder knife, then
the Philadelphia knife, and is now marketed under the name of the "Dorko"
knife (somewhat unfortunate nomenclature to be sure). Bob Gilbert in Los
Angeles and Forrest's Music in the San Francisco area, among many others,
sell this knife. It also is a double hollow ground model. As in the
case of many knives, it is best to specify whether you are right handed
or left handed when you order one, as the method of sharpening is
different for these two situations.

The type of sharpening stone is also very important. The best I have
found is a "diamond" sharpening stone. It has diamond dust epoxyed to a
steel surface. As a result, it remains perfectly flat and will not "cup
out" when being used. There are different degrees of abrasiveness, and I
like the medium grit, which is designated #600.

Another one which I used for many years is the "Carborundum." That is a
brand name, and there are many others which are similar to it. These can
be bought with a fairly rough surface on one side for doing heavy or
initial sharpening, and a finer surface on the other for final finishing
of the blade. A stone of this type has to be replaced every few years
due to wear and tear upon repeated use.

Another new type of stone on the market is the ceramic stone. This type
also tends to be flatter than the carborundum type, but is best used for
putting a final razor edge on the knife after it has been initially
sharpened on another type of stone.

What I recommend against is the so-called "Arkansas oil stone." I know,
you remember your grandfather using this type of stone to sharpen his
pocket knife or his straight razor. So did my grandfather. However, the
problem for reed knives with any type of stone which uses oil or another
liquid is that the liquid holds tiny metal particles in suspension. That
is the purpose of the liquid, so that the particles don't get imbedded in
the stone, thereby reducing its grade of abrasiveness. However, these
particles in suspension also tear away at the fine edge of the knife,
resulting in a rougher edge. It may feel sharper, because the
microscopic rough edges will tear away the cane fibres, but the result
will not be as smooth as it could be.

Now that you have a good knife and a good stone, the next problem is
learning a good technique for sharpening the knife. There are various
methods, and all of them are difficult to describe in writing. By far
the best solution would be to get a teacher to show you how. It will
take you about 15 minutes to become an expert if you have good instruction.

Good luck.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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