Klarinet Archive - Posting 000921.txt from 1999/11

From: "Dodgshun family" <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: [kl] crusty old clarinet
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:10:00 -0500

>I have a predicament involving an old Buffet Evette clarinet...

>This thing he presented to me last week is not only old, but definitely
"rode hard and >put away wet"! Keys are bent from abuse and dropping, the
case does not latch >sufficiently, and the wood is so dehydrated that the
rings twirl freely. I see no >cracks (yet!), but the barrel is probably
completely ruined, having a visible warp as >well as very rough texture (of
the wood grain) inside.

If it hasn't cracked already, it's unlikely to (one less thing to worry
about!).

>There is a greenish-white crust inside much of the bore. It needs new pads
and >corks (of course!), but that much is manageable. I have not asked him
what he >payed for this clarinet. I want to help, but am not sure what to
do, being completely >inexperienced in the art of resussitating things that
once were clarinets.

>How can I safely remove the crust? What steps should I take in rehydrating
the >wood?

Does a damp swab have any effect on the crust? I would think that if you
persevere, damp swabbing should get rid of the crust. Might take a while,
though. As for the rehydrating, slowly would be the way to go. If you do
it too fast, it's likely to swell unevenly and cause problems, possibly even
cracking. I don't know if it's too far gone, but leaving the instrument in
a mildly humid environment for a few weeks should have an effect - orange
peels in the case, or one of those tube things that violinists sometimes
use. When it's on the road to recovery, it might be wise to oil it. I
would possibly even suggest taking all the keys off and oiling (carefully!)
the outside as well - anybody else have an opinion on this?

HTH
Anna

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