Klarinet Archive - Posting 000743.txt from 1998/01

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: Reed rush vs sand paper
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 04:17:35 -0500

It's not a reed or a rush, but the dried stems of various horsetails,
which are (I think) pteridophytes, like ferns. The abrasive quality is
partly due to the nature of the surface, and partly to the high silica
content of these stems.
Roger Shilcock

On Thu, 15 Jan 1998, Lane G White wrote:

> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 23:35:25 EST
> From: Lane G White <lanewhite@-----.com>
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.us
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: Reed rush vs sand paper
>
> On Thu, 15 Jan 1998 21:49:11 EST GTGallant <GTGallant@-----.com> writes:
> >This may sound silly, but what is reed rush? I always wondered what
> >is was
> >and was used for.
>
> It's a plant material - when dried, it's hollow, hard, and abrasive. Mine
> happens to be about the diameter of the business end of a cotton swab -
> dunno if that's universal. Mine is cut into 2-3" sections.
>
> You use it (or sandpaper) to scape reeds. Not that I'm an expert on
> adjusting reeds, but the abrasive characteristic of dutch rush is
> different than sandpaper, IMO - its abrasiveness is due to the ribbed
> nature of the plant stem, so it acts more like a bunch of razor edges
> bunched close together, rather than a lot of random microscopic jagged
> edges, which is the nature of sandpaper. Not sure if that's good or bad;
> since I have identified myself with the "PLAY OR DIE"[tm] division of the
> Klarinet List, and don't give bad reeds a chance to redeem themselves
> anyway.
>
> Looking back on this last paragraph, I'm sure there's something in there
> that I'll get flamed over. It'll give me something to do this weekend
> besides practice for my recital.
>
> Say, fellas, which reed company do you think will chip in for the
> t-shirts?
>
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