Klarinet Archive - Posting 000469.txt from 1997/01

From: Jrykorten@-----.com
Subj: Clarinet tricks
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 08:21:43 -0500

Dear Fellow Clarinetists,

I don't know how many of you are bothered by key clicking on the left hand
F#/C# and E/B keys. No doubt you have tried the fish skin on those little
pins to stop this extra music from intruding on the composer's own.

Here is a little trick I have learned. The mailer pouches used by UPS/Fedex
are constructed of a material called Tyvek. A combination of Teflon and
Kevlar fibers if I am not mistaken. Also the old fashioned 5 1/4" floppy
disks use sleeves made of a thicker version of the same material.

Remove the two offending keys for the left pinkey, revealing the little pins
and holes.
Cut a piece of this approx 3/16" by 1/4" and hold it in front of the pin hole
and then insert the keys. (Some pin/hole combinations are so loose as to
require the stuff from the floppy disk jacket, or you could cut a piece that
is 3/8" by 1/4" and fold it in half to get the 3/16" by 1/4" dimension).

This stuff has the advantage of being self lubricating (you can really jamb
it in there and not restrict motion) and it is TOUGH! Mine having lasted a
year so far.

Jerry Korten
NYC