Klarinet Archive - Posting 000726.txt from 2003/02

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Reed Knives...
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 13:51:01 -0500

Bill is right on. The investment in a knife also includes a much=20
greater investment in good sharpening gear.

I use a Landwell bevelled knife primarily for my bassoon work, but I do=20=

some single reed balancing with this knife. Use of a knife on the=20
larger single reeds for sax and harmony clarinets can a good tool to=20
speed up the balancing process. I will also use the knife to do a=20
"quick and dirty" balancing of my private students' soprano clarinet=20
reeds.

Having said this, I don't think that the rather large investment in a=20
knife and sharpening gear is necessary. Although slower, one can=20
accomplish the same with Dutch rush and it is a cheaper and safer way=20
to go. My other equipment for single reed work is a large piece of 1/4"=20=

plate glass, a small 1"x4" easel to place the reed on when using the=20
rush, a Cordier reed clipper and some fine, 400 grit wet and dry=20
sandpaper to flatten and burnish the flat, underside of the reeds. All=20=

glass pieces have the edges ground for safety.

On Sunday, February 23, 2003, at 08:32 AM, B. Rite wrote:

> <><> Rob=A0Wynne wrote:
> Which is the most popular brand?
>
> Rigotti is a well-known brand in the medium-to-low price range, but =
I'm
> sure that you can find people who swear by other more expensive =
knives.
>
>
>
> <><> What can I expect to pay? Etc?
>
> $20 per knife (there are two types - see below). The sharpening =
stone
> is the more expensive and probably more important item after you've=20
> used
> the knife for a while.
>
>
>
> <><> I'm also left-handed, that a problem?
>
> There are two types of knife. One type ("bevelled edge") is bevelled
> to an edge on one side only, and the 'bevel' is a flat surface. The
> other type ("hollow ground") is ground to an edge on both sides and =
the
> ground surfaces are curved inwards a bit.
>
> The "bevelled edge" comes in both left-handed and right-handed models.
> (Draw a picture and you'll see why.) Since the "hollow ground" knife
> is symmetricaL it comes only one way.
>
> I bought both kinds of knife in a moment of enthusiasm, but I almost
> never use my hollow ground knife. The hollow ground knife cuts =
larger
> chunks of material, but if you're only adjusting reeds (rather than
> making them from scratch), you don't want to make drastic cuts.
> Rather, you use your knife more as a scraper.
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
Richard Bush
Maker of 'BasSonic' bassoon reeds
760 Robins Avenue
Ogden, UT 84404
(801) 393-7265
IDRS member
rbushidioglot@-----.com

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