Klarinet Archive - Posting 000308.txt from 2005/05

From: "Lelia Loban" <lelialoban@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Gungy green stuff on keys
Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 08:35:02 -0400


Karl Krelove wrote,
> A real potential problem is polish or residue that
>gets pushed into the bearing and pivot points where
>keys are mounted. It's easy to miss this stuff or
>squeeze it farther into the mechanism, eventually
>resulting in sluggish key action. For anyone who is
>comfortable partially disassembling the instrument,
>using a polish, especially in paste form, may work
>better if the keys are removed and thoroughly wiped
>and dried before remounting them.

Yes--I think that's important. I only use polish on a disassembled
instrument. Also, when I'm wiping away the polish residue with the soft
flannel afterwards, I run an old-fashioned soft pipe-cleaner through all of
the screw holes and pivot points, and around the attachment points for the
springs. Then I take a fresh pipe cleaner and re- lubricate the holes, and
clean and re-lubricate the screws and springs, too. Sometimes a badly
corroded screw or rusty, weak, old spring hangs up the key action and needs
replacing. Quite a few old clarinets and saxes I've bought have had gunk
and rust in those places. Most of the crud is dirt that's gradually
accumulated, but I find quite a lot of old polish residue, hardened to
crust. That stuff doesn't just look bad; it promotes rust and impedes key
action.

Someone was asking about squeaks -- a technician who's looking for leaks
should check for dirty mechanisms. Sometimes a key that's designed to stay
closed until the player opens it will seal tightly when tested, but may
squeak during use anyway. During playing, if the mechanism is dirty, the
key may snap closed too sluggishly. Once it's closed, it seals well, so
this type of leak is harder to detect than a bad pad. Hold the clarinet
away, and open and close each key rapidly while watching how it behaves. A
bad spring can cause the same problem. The short leaf spring under the
crossed A and A-flat keys is especially likely to go bad. That crossover
also needs adjustment now and then by tightening or loosening the big screw
on top of the cross (if there is a screw there--not all models have one).
That's a finicky adjustment. If the screw is just a little bit too tight
or too loose, sluggish key action will cause a leak.

Lelia Loban

P. S-ssssssssssss: I'm making my stupid pet human type this for me. She's
got rust and gunk in her *brain*, if you ask me. What you all should do
is buff your clarinets inside and out with the steel wire wheel on the
dremel. Grind away for about ten minutes in each spot. That'll fix 'em.

Sst!
Shadow Cat

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