 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-07-10 20:10
I've always wondered what makes old instruments smell so foul after many years. At first i thought it was mold, but it actually isn't (for the most part). the offending smell actually comes from the decaying of old cork grease (a type of fat?) which either drys or gets eaten by bacteria over time. so if you are planning on storing your clarinet for a long time, make sure you double bag the cork grease so that 10 years down the line, you won't open the case and be greeted by a foul smell from 10 years before. (kind of reminds me of a lingering fart)
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-07-10 22:16
That probably depends on the cork grease.
Traditional greases are made from deer tallow - this will indeed go rancid and reek of countless hours of fruitless efforts. I've seen or rather smelled many of such instrument cases.
My favourite grease, however, <sniffs at jar> mmmmhhh. My alto recorder from school (30+ years) still has that citrusy scent.
--
Ben
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-10 23:40
La Tromba grease never goes rancid, and aways smells nice. The oldest jar I've got is around 20 years old and still smells the same as when it was new.
I've even used La Tromba in a non-woodwind emergency - I was driving an old VW Type 2 van and the gearstick came adrift when I put it into reverse. I undid the cover plate, took the gearstick out, whacked a load of La Tromba (from the tub I kept in my clarinet case, applied with an old reed) in the linkage and then tightened it all up. Good as new it was, and worked much better as it now had grease in the linkage.
Some bore oils stink - the Yamaha bore oil smells like rancid old vegetable oil.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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