Klarinet Archive - Posting 000050.txt from 2002/08

From: "fred.sheim" <fred.sheim@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Stuck swabs
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2002 10:45:35 -0400

I always pull the swab from the barrel end based on the theory that the
upper part of the horn is most saturated with moisture and pulling from the
top down more evenly dampens the entire bore. In the extremely rare case
that my swab gets caught on the octave tube, I remove the mouthpiece and
barrel and with a wooden stick push the swab off the tube. I put the stick
in the top of the horn until it presses on the octave tube where it enters
the bore (the swab is trapped between the stick and octave tube at this
point) and maintaining pressure on the tube with the stick move the stick
up the tube. This pulls the swab with it and dislodges it from the
tube. Then I simply pull it out the bell as usual. It has always worked.
BTW, I have a Coppenbarger swab. I don't know if its silk or synthetic,
but it does the job. The stick I use is the wooden handle of a medium sized
art brush. When not used as a swab free-er, The brush is handy to remove
dust from under the rods of the horn.

Fred

At 10:33 AM 8/3/02, you wrote:
>Wolfgang,
>Francois (Buffet) suggested the same technique
>(put the swab through the barrel first).
>Lori Lovato
>2nd/Eb NMSO, SFS, NMWQ, 3-2jazz
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------

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