Klarinet Archive - Posting 000953.txt from 1997/07

From: Gary Young <gyoung@-----.com>
Subj: RE: Float Test and cologne/Koln
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 1997 00:18:23 -0400

Carol--

Once you take your clarinet from the oven, but before replacing the keys,
it helps to oil it. Fill a large plastic bag with light motor oil, put the
clarinet in, and shake it hard for about ten minutes. (If I'm busy, I just
put the bag in the clothes drier for ten minutes, on air dry.) This
process also does wonders for reeds, new or old. Afterwards dry the
clarinet (or reeds) by shaking it in a bag of corn starch, which will
absorb the oil. Keep the used bags in your clarinet case so you'll have
them for use the next time.

Also before replacing your keys, if you want them to have a unique look
that everyone will comment on, now's the time to soak them in aqua regia
for a while. Remove them from the solution every so often to check on how
things are going. If you can't see them, you've left them in too long.

Hope this helps!

[Name withheld]

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From: pharmacy[SMTP:pharmacy@-----.com]
Subject: Re: Float Test and cologne/Koln

Roger,
Thanks for the advice. I took all the keys off and continued to float
it for awhile. Nothing much happened to determine wood or plastic one
way or the other, so I took my friend's advice about drying it; I
carefully disassembled it, blew out the excess water and placed it on a
cookie sheet. It's now in the oven on "warm" overnight to dry it
thoroughly. Is there anything I need to know about putting the keys back
on?
Thanks,
Carol