Klarinet Archive - Posting 000330.txt from 2002/01

From: "Robert" <LetsReason@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Alternative to Cork for Tenons
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2002 17:07:40 -0500

Oh yeah...I forgot to ask earlier.

Does anyone know of anyone that has sought or found an alternative to cork
for the tenon joints?

I have had it with my tenon corks on this Prestige. I literally have had to
put paper on all of the corks this winter until I can afford (Jan. 19th I
get paid) to get new ones [they have all shrunk]. Well, I will use my
foolishness and naivity to help prevent this from happening to others, but
don't do this very often people. Paper absorbs any moisture out of the wood
or anything else it comes in contact with that is less absorbing than it is.
You guessed it...I have a nice little crack in lower joint going from the
ring to the b/f# sliver key tone hole. I took a look in the top of the
joint and I am, again, fortunate to only have this little, thin crack. It
is unbelievably dry in the socket. I have oiled it for the second day now
and it is just starting to show signs of forgiving me.

Now back to my question. When I was in Kansas City, the repairperson we all
went to there was willing/interested/aware of new ideas in repairs and
various alternative materials to the traditional ones on instruments. She
was the first repairperson that I had been to that would use this kind of
plastic/rubber (kind of a rubber that was almost rigid like hard plastic) to
replace the slivers of cork between and under keys where they met and/or hit
the wood. It is quiet and durable. No problems in the last 5 years.

Does anyone know of a similar alternative to tenon cork? Maybe a similar
material to the above that does not absorb moisture, that is rigid enough to
stay in place but flexible enough to give a little when used as a tenon
cork? I would appreciate any ideas that you have, have heard or can come up
with.

Robert

---------------------------------------------------------------------