Klarinet Archive - Posting 000729.txt from 2003/05

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Shellac in bores
Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 17:04:27 -0400

Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 11:16:50 -0400
Mark and Walter,

Yes, the greater susceptibility of cocobolo to moisture was exactly why
Steve shellacs the bore. I thought I said that, sorry not to be clear.

Georg's comment about Hammerschmidt clarinets and removing the lacquer
after "breaking in" seeems to be for a different reason. I don't think
you can completely remove shellac anyway (short of prolonged soaking in
an alcoholic solvent, which is a more common treatment for the players)
and this will in effect give a polishing of the bore. It is very similar
to French polishing.

Keith

>From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
>Subject: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 20 May 2003 20:15:00 -0000 Issue
4539
>Message-ID: <4DBA020B.0FF42A99.024C2F1F@-----.com>

In a message dated 5/22/2003 8:46:59 AM Eastern Standard Time,
charette@-----.org writes:

> Considering that Steve Fox hand-made that particular basset
> I'm sure he had a reason for putting the lacquer on in the 1st place
...>>

I am assuming that this basset horn (like Dan Leeson's) is made from
cocobolo wood. If not, the rest of this post is irrelvant.

But, if so, using a light shellac on the cocobolo might make a lot of
sense.

I have done a lot of work with cocobolo. It's a fine wood for making
wind instruments (if your not allergic to the dust raised when working
with it).

It tools nicely and is VERY lovely when polished. It is, however, more
porous than grenadilla (or mpingo, or what ever you want to call it).
Initially, it absorbs more water and swells more than grenadilla.

So, perhaps, the light coat of shellac is there to help resist some of
this moisture absorbtion.

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
World-class clarinet mouthpieces!

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