Klarinet Archive - Posting 000230.txt from 1998/10

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] earliest dates of R13s and dirty cases
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 00:21:28 -0400

Thanks very much to Dee Hays, Jack Kissinger and Francois Kloc for clarifying
the dates of R-13s. Now that I know what I haven't got, I'm curious what to
call my old horn, other than a 1937 Buffet. Does it have a model name? I'm
not sure if I could identify a polycylindrical bore, but it looks like a plain
old cylinder. Should have thought of checking for the undercut tone holes: it
hasn't got them.

On the ever-controversial subject of oiling Buffets, I did oil this one last
night, with the pads protected by plastic wrap. After sitting in the filthy
case for the last decade after restoration, the clarinet was grubby. Oiling
seemed like the safest and gentlest way to clean it up, after I'd brushed out
the remains of the insect zoo.

Thanks for the suggestion about Lysol for the case, Dee. A few months ago, I
needed advice about cleaning up squalid sax cases from the 1920s. I had
already sponged out the cases (all of them lined with velvet plush padding)
with dish detergent, rinsed them, dried them and fumigated them by leaving
them open next to a smoking incense burner, but every time I opened up their
mouths, they still smelled like the festering gums of some large beast that
ate way too much meat and never brushed its teeth. I asked about this problem
on the bulletin board at www.classicsax.com. Got back (along with several
prank suggestions) these ideas: (1) Put the case outdoors, open to the sun,
for a few hours. That worked well on the least-revolting cases. Sunlight is
a good disinfectant. According to my mother (a former Occupational Therapist),
direct sunlight will kill just about any bacteria, including tuberculosis.
(2) Rub dry baking soda into the dry velvet, sun-bake, then vaccuum out. That
took care of the problem on the other cases. I'm not sure if this treatment
faded the case linings, but they were already so stained that if anything,
their appearance improved. (3) My repairman gave back one of my horns with a
dryer sheet in it. The dryer sheet did help deoderize the dragon-breath, but
then the case smelled like fabric softener. I'm going to try an unscented
dryer sheet in a case next time I've got one that's clean-looking and not too
stinky. (4) He also suggested a Stick-Up, but I didn't try it because I hate
the way those things smell. (5) Last resort: Take the case to one of those
companies that specializes in restoration of smoke-damaged upholstery after a
fire and have the case placed in the ozone chamber. I haven't needed to try
that -- husband's motto for car repair applies here, too: try the cheapest
fixes first!

I'm going to clean up this case, but I think I'll replace it. I'll put it
away and keep it, since it's the original with Buffet's silk advertising
banner inside the lid, but the padding is too deteriorated to protect the
horn adequately. Also, it's a cramped little case with no parts well for
swab, reed case, the type of cork grease I prefer, etc.. Anyhow, maybe if I
buy a double case, a nice clarinet in A will inquire about the vacancy.

Practiced on the Buffet today. Meant to break it in gently by playing it for
only a few minutes. Noticed the time an hour and a half later....

Thanks again for the information!

Lelia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And it all goes into the laundry,
But it never comes out in the wash,
'Ow we're sugared about by the old men
('Eavy-sterned amateur old men!)
--Rudyard Kipling, "Stellenbosh"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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