Klarinet Archive - Posting 000980.txt from 1997/08

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Increase your Grease
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 22:58:22 -0400

At 04:47 PM 8/22/97 -0700, you wrote:
>I haven't seen this subject approached at all in the short time I've been
>a list member, but I may as well throw it in there and show everyone how
>green I am. Is one kind of cork grease better than another, or are they
>all pretty much the same? Can one grease one's corks too much? My clarinet
>goes together with some degree of difficulty and I tend to grease the
>corks quite often. Is this OK? Another question: what is cork grease made
>of? I kid you not, my dog loves to eat cork grease! Is it safe?

Oddly enough, I just discussed this topic with our woodwind repair tech
this afternoon. He claims that cork grease in a box is best, and in a
lipstick-type tube is acceptable. I agree, but the lipstick type is
usually scented with oil of wintergreen, which not only just smells better,
but helps keep the case fresh-smelling. But it tends to dry out more
quickly on the cork. Selmer Tuning Slide and Cork Grease in the squeeze
bottle is to be avoided. It eats the cork and loosens the glue. It's not
much better for tuning slides. God knows why they make it!

If a lot of cork grease oozes out when you put the horn together, it is
probably too much. No real damage is likely to occur. I doubt that there
is anything in it that will hurt your dogs much, unless the wintergreen is
a problem. I know it can be poisonous to humans in large amounts.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.