Klarinet Archive - Posting 000906.txt from 1998/03

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Prepping for my first oil
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 23:20:24 -0500

on 3/10/98 7:51 PM, Jason Hsien wrote:

>Okay... I'll come out and say it. I have never oiled the bore of my clarinet
>before. (The things I missed playing a plastic clarinet for the past 7
>years...) Ihave tried to wait this out as long as possible, but it's been
>already 6 months since I bought it, and the instructions request that it be
>oiled once a month in the first year. (I hope I haven't irreperably damaged
>my horn, but I don't play it THAT much anyway)
>
>I went to sneezy, and got the general jist of the situation. I have my bore
>oil and cotton applicator. I'm planning to double plastic wrap my pads.
>
>Now... if any of you can help me on what to do next, I'd be very happy. How
>much oil? Should I use almond or olive oil instead of bore oil? Does the
>barrel also need to be oiled?
>
>Finally, the one question that has really bothered me, how to I wipe all the
>excess out after I'm done?

Maybe it's spring that brings out all the "oiling the bore" posts! My
first advice is to look for the August 1994 issue of WW Quarterly, where
Larry Naylor wrote a very good article about the ins and outs of oiling.
It once was available on line, and if it still is, there's a link to WW
Quarterly on the "Other Clarinet Resources" link from my home page (see
sig file below). BTW, thanks to Clark Fobes for originally bringing this
article to our attention on KLARINET.

Recently Jack Kissinger kindly mentioned a post of mine from FLUTE at the
web address below about oiling. But *above* my post is another very good
one from flutemaker Robert Bigio, who makes wooden flutes and headjoints,
and knows his business when dealing with wood. See:

<http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/ross/flutes/oiling.htm>

I'll just add that I've never oiled a clarinet, and never had one crack.
Luck of the draw, most likely, but from all I've read, oiling doesn't
seem to be the deciding factor.

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/