 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Debashis
Date: 2026-11-13 22:21
Hi all, I'm a freelance repair tech and have been doing repair for a few years now. I'm comfortable with most repairs on soprano clarinets and have recently been getting more low clarinet repair work.
I've always followed that you should use thin cork (or other thin materials) between keys, as using thicker cork for regulation will cause the mechanism to go out of adjustment as soon as the cork compresses.
That said, I'm currently working on a Yamaha 631II alto clarinet and am replacing the cork on the low Eb key. This instrument is in good condition and I don't think the mechanism is bent, but the distance between the lever and the key is wide and it seems like it's designed to regulate with a thick cork between the keys. I even confirmed this with the stock picture: if you zoom into the bell key, you'll see a thicker cork on there: https://usa.yamaha.com/musical-instruments/brass-woodwinds/products/clarinets/ycl-631-03/
Is using thicker cork for this regulation common in low clarinets? If so, would you prefer a synthetic cork to mitigate the issue of the cork compressing?
Post Edited (2026-11-13 22:22)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-11-13 23:19
I never use natural cork for keywork as it's what all the dinosaurs use.
You want to use the right materials with the right properties in the right locations and natural cork isn't that material for anything of any significance.
For sliding linkages, use tech cork for durability laminated with thin teflon sheet for low friction. Glue the teflon sheet on with contact adhesive instead of relying on pre-glued peel'n'stick self adhesive teflon sheet. You can always clean off the glue with acetone and use contact adhesive on the chemically etched side.
For stopper corks on most closed-standing keys (side keys, trill keys, throat G# key, speaker key, Ab/Eb key, etc.), use tech cork.
For open standing keys (main action keywork, LH thumbplate, LH F/C lever, low Eb key, etc.) use felt or ultrasuede for silence.
For pin and fork linkages or adjustable sliding linkages, cover them with thin teflon tubing for low friction.
You're also better off fitting nylon tips to adjusting screws instead of using anything under the tips as that eventually wears out or compresses.
If any linkage cork is thicker than 1mm, then the key needs to be bent back.
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: 2026-11-14 09:42
I also wouldn't use cork for any sliding linkage.
If a very thick material is needed (not sure what you consider thick and thin) then either it was either designed or manufactured that well, or it was bent. In either case I usually adjust the keys to use a better thickness of material if possible (it almost always is).
Some Yamaha low clarinets have the issue that some keys are springy and don't adjust the way they optimally should. I haven't tried to adjust this model of alto clarinet though so don't know what it's like in that respect (I've played a couple of of them but that's it).
In rare cases it's better to actually build a linkage up to use a thinner material, but not one like this usually, only when adjusting is not possible.
Post Edited (2026-11-14 10:02)
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Author: Debashis
Date: 2026-11-15 01:21
Hi everyone, thanks for the responses! This is helpful.
> If a very thick material is needed (not sure what you consider
> thick and thin) then either it was either designed or
> manufactured that well, or it was bent. In either case I
> usually adjust the keys to use a better thickness of material
> if possible (it almost always is).
I should have mentioned the thicknesses in my post - I'd consider 0.4mm to be thin for most cork between keys, except for tight spots like the thumb ring on soprano clarinet.
In the case of the low Eb on this alto, the previous cork looked to be a synthetic cork somewhere between 1.2mm to 1.6mm, though the material ripped at the contact point. This seemed to be the factory setup, but it's hard to know for sure. I would consider this to be thick, especially if I was going to use natural cork that will compress.
Tech cork and teflon seems like the answer here. Glad to expand the range my materials beyond natural cork for better repairs where do you usually get your tech cork? I see JL Smith sells some. MusicMedic has some too, but I haven't always had good experiences with their products.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-11-15 02:31
If you're in the US, then either Ferree's, JL Smith or MusicMedic are your best sources for tech cork, teflon sheet and teflon sleeving. I get it from Music Center (Pisoni) in various thicknesses from 0.4mm to 3mm, but only use 0.4mm, 0.7mm or 1.0mm tops for linkages.
You can also use polythene tubing and slip some thin walled teflon tubing over that to offer both low friction and sound deadening properties (such as the crook key shift lever on saxes and bass clarinets).
Thin heat shrink teflon sleeving can be found on ebay as can polythene tubing in all diameters and dimensions.
Besides tenon corks and cork pads where natural cork is still the best material, I only use natural cork on the throat A stopper on clarinets (diagonally slicing through a water key cork to make two of them) and also under the long Bb link on the LH2 ring key to keep it raised off the deck to minimise the risk of the linkage (tech) cork getting torn off during assembly. A 4mm diameter piece cut out from 1.6mm thick cork (the usual tenon cork thickness) does the trick with that on Buffets and Yamahas.
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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