Klarinet Archive - Posting 000541.txt from 1996/11

From: "David B. Niethamer" <niethamer@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Dutch rush
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 19:54:36 -0500

Roger Shilcock wrote:

>What is supposed to be so magical about this stuff? For a start, it's a
>silly shape - furthermore, it's just the dried stems of a particular
>species of horsetail. How do people manage to get away with
>selling old horsetail? There is a species which is a common weed in
>English gardens with damp spots - Equisetum arvense, I think. There must
>be one in North America, too. If anyone thinks such an abrasive device is
>really useful, surely s/he can just go out and cut it for free?

I've never understood this either. There is an American version, and a
friend of mine would lead a yearly expedition of students to cut some.
But it is inconsistent in shape and abrasiveness, so every stalk is an
adventure.

I use wet/dry sandpaper - no sand residue from the paper, and if you
carefully wipe the reed, there should be no residue of any kind.

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
niethamer@-----.edu
dbnclar1@-----.com
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/