Klarinet Archive - Posting 000197.txt from 2007/10

From: Tim Roberts <timr@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] New Product for Oiling Grenadilla Wood
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:04:42 -0400

On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:08:03 -0400, "George Huba"
<ghuba@-----.com> wrote:
>
> There is another issue related to oiling that comes up from
> time-to-time; some argue that over-oiling (and I am not sure exactly
> how over-oiling is defined) itself can lead to softer wood and a
> greater probability of cracks.

I have never heard of this as an issue. Remember that the manufacturers
soak the grenadilla blanks in oil for long periods of time during the
manufacturing process. If that doesn't induce cracks by softening, then
oiling by a performer isn't going to do it. Indeed, intuitively, one
would expect that any "softening" by the oil would tend to reduce stress
cracks by making the wood more flexible.

However, it is impossible for me to believe that a post-manufacture
grenadilla instrument could possibly soak up enough oil in a finite
period of time to cause any significant change to the wood. We are
talking about a very, very dense and hard wood, one step below ebonite
in its susceptibility. My guess (and I claim no particular expertise in
this area) is that the benefits expressed in the testimonials for this
oil are cosmetic rather than structural, like waxing a car or painting
one's nails.

The primary "danger" from over oiling is that the oil ends up primarily
in your wiping rag, thus wasting your money.
--
Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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