 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-10-11 01:32
After experiencing problems playing low clarion B (B4), I found that the pad under the rh pinky key for low G#/Ab was leaking. Blowing into the top of the joint with the bottom sealed leaks air out there, quite a lot of air. The key action seemed too light, or when I checked again, maybe not. I sat down to remove the key and have a better look at the pad and the spring.
But. The rod holding that key would not unscrew. The slotted head turns easily in either direction without going either in or out. That exceeds my spec. I sent my repair person a note and am awaiting their reply, but my curiosity has nagged me into posting. What's going on with this key?
Note, the instrument is a Buffet R13.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-10-11 02:43
It's either a stripped pillar thread or broken screw thread. Someone in he past has either cross threaded or overtorqued the rod screw and now the pillar thread (which is a much softer alloy than the stainless steel rod screw) just turns in it, or they've overtorqued the rod screw when tightening it up and snapped the thread off in the pillar if it's been weakened.
Both cases are fixable - a stripped pillar thread can be repaired with an internally threaded bush soft soldered into the pillar head, or using a new rod screw with a wider thread and tapping out the pillar accordingly. A broken off screw thread can be extracted from the pillar head (should be relatively easy as the thread is no longer held in tension) and then a new and original spec rod screw fitted.
Try pushing a scriber, dental pick or heavy gauge needle spring into the hole in the end of the threaded pillar whilst unscrewing the rod screw to see if that helps the slotted end pop out far enough so you can grip it with pliers to extract it which will happen with stripped threads. If you can't do that at all, then the thread's been snapped off in the pillar which will make extracting the rod screw more difficult (as it can't be pushed out), but not impossible.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2026-10-11 10:10
You can also turn the screw and try to look at the other end to see if it's turning with it. It's usually possible to see.That way you might be able to tell which of the option Chris wrote it is. FWIW the former is much more common than the latter.
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