 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Apresence
Date: 2006-01-28 01:15
Hi! Does anyone know the optimum humidity to store reeds? This article, http://idrs.colorado.edu/Publications/Journal/JNL3/storage.html , suggests 75% relative humidity, but this is above the optimum humidity for mold growth, which is 70% according to http://homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/95/951108.html .
Is there really any irreversible damage done to reeds stored in too dry an environment?
Also, why is it that some reedgards do not have a completely flat surface and will the pressure that keeps the reed in the reedgard, which is exerted on the lower portion of the vamp, affect the reed detrimentally?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-01-28 01:50
Try to keep the relative humidity below 50% (where mold and mildew will not grow) and above 35% (below 35% will dehydrate reeds).
For every new box you use, buy 2 to replace it. Date and place into storage. A cool, dark closet is an excellent location.
I have about 150 boxes of reeds in storage (blue/purple box Vandorens from the 60's thru 90's, Morrés from the early 70's and Gonzalez from 1998), I think that you should age reeds as long as possible, especially Vandorens from the past 10 years, which I think improves them dramatically...GBK
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-01-28 21:17
The "ideal" relative humidity may vary according to the altitude at which you live (article from Colorado?), however I have been in different locations roughly at sea level and I would have to agree with the 75% figure. At least that is roughly the mark in the room I play when the reeds are at their best. Heating in the winter is making this a harder humidity level to achieve and the reeds are suffering........I'll take the mold !!!
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2006-01-29 12:03
(Disclaimer - I sell reeds and a reed storage device)
It depends if you are talking about long term or short term storage. I have suggested in the past that long term storage should be at a RH of below 50% - now one of the major reed manufacturers has just changed their packaging to incorporate a hermetically sealed package which states that it is at "ideal humidity level" (close to 45% RH) for their premier brand of reeds. The other major reed manufacturer has a plastic bag with different salts packets and their suggested storage packet is at 50-55% (55% may be high IMO). We have had numerous disscussions about short term storage and reed rehydration routines for current "players" which I suggest that you research for your own best regime. I myself have a commercial humidor with salts which I have made that keeps RH just below 50% RH.
L. Omar Henderson
Post Edited (2006-01-29 12:04)
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