Klarinet Archive - Posting 000823.txt from 2002/11

From: "Tim Roberts" <timr@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: Oiling Clarinets
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 00:00:51 -0500

On Sun, 17 Nov 2002 22:54:50 -0500, "HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN" <hjpspm@-----.net>
wrote:
>
>I have know that one should keep a wood instrument properly oiled, but what
>is the exact procedure in doing so?

There is a surprising amount of controversy on this topic. Many people oil
their bores religiously, but there is considerable doubt over whether this
actually has any non-placebo effect.

Grenadilla is an extremely dense wood. Liquids penetrate it very, very slowly.
If your clarinet is relatively new, there should be manufacturer instructions
available. Buffet, for one, recommends that you NOT oil any of their new
instruments: their clarinet bodies are saturated in oil at the factory for some
number of weeks (and even at that, the oil penetrates the wood only a minute
amount).

--
- Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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