Klarinet Archive - Posting 000717.txt from 1996/10

From: Julianne Kirk <julesclava@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Oil treatment for reeds
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 13:13:32 -0500

>On Sat, 26 Oct 1996, Julianne Kirk wrote:
>
>> a
>> trick I learned from my teacher is to coat your reeds in olive oil while
>> they're new. It makes them last longer for one thing and it does help the
>> sound as long as you don't mind the taste.

On Monday Oct. 28 Neil Leupold wrote:
>Is this for real and, if so, what does it entail? Do I assume correctly
>that the oil displaces moisture in the reed and prevents it from becoming
>water-logged? What other positive effect does the oil have? If it is
>merely to displace the water and seal the pores, will any ol' vegetable oil
>do the trick? How is it applied? Dip the reed in & out? Soak? Brush
>it on? Cook it with the fries? Should the reed be played once prior to
>applying the oil, or should the reed be treated immediately out of the
>box? Is it ever necessary to retreat a reed after initial "oiling"?
>Does the treatment have any effect on the resistance, response, or
>longevity of the reed?
>
>Inquiring minds want to know.

It is for real. My teacher had a little bottle, like a perscription bottle,
filled with the olive oil, he dipped the reed in it then smoothed the oil
across the front and back of the reed. Then once it had soaked in, he took a
towel and blotted the excess oil off the surface and gave it to me to play.
The reed can be played once or so before applying the oil, it has to be dry
at the time of the oiling. It helps the response and life of the reed.
Supposedly it doubles the life of the reed. I don't know if all veggie oils
work, I'm just passing on what I've learned. Hope I satisfied curiosities
out there.

Julianne Kirk