Klarinet Archive - Posting 000923.txt from 2000/02

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: stuck swab
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 00:07:50 -0500

Dear "Stuck Swab" and the Ellems:

I have seen posted on Klarinet by clarinetists much smarter than myself that
silk is less absorbent than cotton. This seems to make sense to me since
cotton is a much coarser fiber than silk, which should allow more absorption
and silk fabric is usually more tightly woven than cotton and thus would be
less likely to readily absorb moisture. This would seem to me to make
cotton swabs more absorbent than silk.

Also, circumstances that would cause a cotton swab to get stuck could also
get a silk swab stuck. Granted that a silk swab is "slicker" and might not
get stuck quite as easily, this "slickness", may confirm my thought that
silk is less absorbent than cotton.

Gene Nibbelin
Cape Coral, FL
-----Original Message-----
From: Rod and Julie Ellem [mailto:rodjulie@-----.com]
Subject: Re: [kl] Re: stuck swab

Can I suggest to stop your swab sticking altogether purchase a silk swab. I
have never had my swab stick in my instrument since I got my silk swab...it
is also much more absorbant than cotton or felt swobs. I got mine from WW&BW
but I am sure other places would also carry them.
All the best.
Rod
-----Original Message-----
From: SDSCHWAEG@-----.com>
Date: Friday, 18 February 2000 4:47
Subject: Re: [kl] Re: stuck swab

>The stuck swab is now out - hallelujah! I tracked down our oboe teacher
this
>morning, who had the proper tools. What did the trick was a thing from the
>fabric store that is used for turning long fabric tubes inside out to make
>spaghetti straps or drawstrings - kind of a bigger version of the tool that
>fixes snags in sweaters. It's longer than a crochet hook, and has a more
>pronounced hook. (I tried a little crochet hook, but it was only pulling
off
>little tufts of the felt swab - couldn't get enough grip, because the hook
>was so small. The needle-nose pliers might have worked, but I couldn't
reach
>far enough in to get a grip on the thing.) She also had one of the
corkscrew
>things, which is what we would have tried next. I'll definitely be adding
>both tools to my bag of tricks - thanks to those who told me which
catalogues
>to look in, and to all for their suggestions. (The student will be getting
>advice from me to never use one of those felt things again!)
>Susan Schwaegler
>
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