Klarinet Archive - Posting 000082.txt from 1998/01

From: Dee Hays <deerich@-----.net>
Subj: Re: cleaning mouthpieces
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 1998 17:32:25 -0500

Bill Hausmann wrote:

> I remember we went through this not too long ago. Apparently you are one
> of a very small minority who believe that, in the war between a soft silk
> or cotton cloth and ebonite, the cloth will win. If that is so, surely the
> relentless pounding the facing receives from the vibrating reed would
> render the mouthpiece useless in a matter of hours! I'm going to keep
> swabbing, and if I find that I do wear one out from the inside before I
> drop it or wear a groove all the way through the top, I'll go out and buy a
> new mouthpiece!

Wonderful point. The vibration of the reed surely ought to be more damaging
than mere swabbing. Wood is harder than the cloth swab and it is repetitively
beating on the thinnest part of the mouthpiece. Talk about the opportunity for
wear and fatigue !! I too will continue to swab as always.

Dee Hays
deerich@-----.net
Canton, SD