 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2004-10-10 13:50
Hi
How do I take a mouthpiece patch off?
I tried with my nails and that really didn't work.
Thanks.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-10-10 14:08
I have stronger nails so I use them when necessary. If they didn't work I'd carefully try Goo Gone....carefully
Bob Draznik
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-10-10 15:02
I just removed one using Goo Gone. It worked great. Then I washed it with some warm soapy water.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-10-10 15:20
Most any solvent will dissolve the adhesive materials used on these (the adhesive is a mixture of very finely divided rubber and a similar solvent), but the milder the chemical used, the less harm you can potentially cause.
For overall clarinet cleanup, I've relied on Ronsinol lighter fluid (preferred both for the lack of chemical smell and for the cheerful, bright yellow squeeze bottles in which it comes). In the naptha range, it cuts almost every adhesive, as well as many other types of organic gunk. It's also cheap and widely available.
I've even used it for bare joint cleanup, although I've always reoiled the wood immediately after using the Ronsinol to strip off the gunk. It will penetrate cork and may break a cork loose, so keep that in mind.
On hard rubber mouthpieces, limited exposure of just about any solvent (excepting only carbon disulfide...real wrath of God stuff, that) will cause no harm. On older ones, though, I'd tread a little more carefully; once the sulphur starts to work its way free from the vulcanized mixture (evidenced by the mouthpiece turning a yellowy-greenish color), you're treading on thin ice.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2004-10-10 16:11
OK I tried the nails again (not mine this time) and it worked. I should let mine grow more I guess.
Thanks.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-10 16:15
I've found that the clear patches give off a lot of the glue/adhesive - I only use the black patches as they are a lot easier to remove.
Is your patch the clear type?
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-10-10 16:23
Careful. Some solvents will attack plastic mouthpieces big-time.
Regards,
John
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-10-10 17:03
Dave says "I've found that the clear patches give off a lot of the glue/adhesive - I only use the black patches as they are a lot easier to remove"
Maybe it is a factor of the same issue, but I have generally preferred the clear patches (like the Bay) because once they are there, they stay put. I found that some of the black ones tend to move over time.
I just paused to realize that here I am discussing the merits of various mouthpiece patches. I have to sign off now to go get a life....
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-10 19:49
Some of us (probably many) are old enough to remember the days when there weren't any MP Patches sold retail at all.
Ya had to take a rubber glove, cut it and glue it to the MP
Even as recently as the early 1980's that was true. If I recall, the BG, Runyon, Bay patches didn't come to retail until around 1987 or so.
Muncy had at ClarFest some "DUO" brand patches which were the smallest black patches I have ever seen.
It's said that a large patch can muffle the vibrations of the Mouthpiece somewhat. (Gigliotti would say).
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2004-10-10 23:12
I wasn't using a mouthpiece patch for a really long time. Now I use the thin clear ones and like them a lot. I actually like the sound better with the patches but an audience (even an audience of clarinet players) would not hear a difference at all.
BobD wrote: "Clari...did your dog do it??"
Close... my mother  J/K of course, she is a great lady.
Post Edited (2004-10-10 23:22)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-10-10 23:39
Good advice above, I generally agree with David B. I used to find and cut/shape rubber patches from inner tubes [remember when we had them ??] and glue them with rubber cement, which held only FAIR. I now use the newer plastic V's, or the thicker rubber ones, which do remove easier! If there is evidence of glues left, I usually "go up the solvent ladder" from soapy water to alcohols [not good Scotch] to the hydrocarbons [non aromatics], I like charcoal lighter fluid, in pref. to lighter HCs, like "naphtha", lighter fluid etc, staying away from nail polish remover, and yes, NO C Cl 4 or C S 2. Chem 101 ? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-10-11 01:50
"Even as recently as the early 1980's that was true. If I recall, the BG, Runyon, Bay patches didn't come to retail until around 1987 or so."
I think that I started using the Bay patches around 1978. I probably ordered them from Bay and then a couple years later, from some of the retail WW places like C&L Woodwinds (later known as Russianoff Winds).
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-10-11 01:50
Carbon disulfide is proof that God doesn't want some people to live. We have about two fires involving the stuff down here each year, and they're always doozies. Back in the 1940's or 1950's, a tanker truck of the stuff "caught fire" in a tunnel in NY...lotsa dead folks from that one.
And, slather it on any mouthpiece and you've got a gooey mess...it'll even eat the bite plate off of a metal mouthpiece.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-11 02:09
I'd like to ask Bay if he had them that early. Back in 1984 I found a source of the black unlined red inside thin Rubber Gloves and gave some to Gigliotti who sent some to China - they were that hard to find.
Literally.
Is it possible that Bay had the Clear patches first? (back then)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-11 03:34
Were they made from the Rubber Gloves?
From what I knew of them there were basically 2 types that players were using
Rubber Glove cut and either taped or glued to the MP or the innertube of a bicycle.
Then around the late 70's the rubber gloves with the red rubber lining became pretty scarce. The felt (not sure of the material) lined household gloves became popular but not useful for Clarinetists.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-10-11 03:55
".....I've found that the clear patches give off a lot of the glue/adhesive - I only use the black patches as they are a lot easier to remove....."
To my knowledge, there are many different types of clear patch, and many types of black. The adhesive is variations on a theme, depending on manufacture.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-10-11 04:06
"....Then I washed it with some warm soapy water..."
Be careful with that warmth. A little too much and the mouthpiece turns green.
I have sometimes pushed most of the patch and glue off with a strip of 3/16 to 1/8" thick acrylic (Plexiglas). This is a good scraper that has little potential to damage the surface of the mouthpiece. I suppose you could use a plastic cutlery knife.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-10-11 12:34
I should clarify- I use lukewarm water on the mouthpiece.
David- I bought mouthpieces from Bay in 1978 which had his clear patches on them. It was the first time I had ever used them and became hooked. I have used those patches ever since.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-11 13:00
Clear patches yes, but I think that the rubber black patches didn't show up in retail until around 1987 or so.
If I recall, were the Bay MP's around $100 even back in 1978?
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-10-11 13:32
David, you may be right about the black patches. I only tried them briefly, so I am not sure when they entered the market.
If I recall correctly, Bay was charging maybe around $55-60 at that time for a mouthpiece. I think other mouthpieces went for around $30-$35, so it seemed like a bit of money. Within a few years I think the prices went up to $75 and then by around the early 80's he was around $100. I remember people I knew thought this was outrageous. When you look at where some of the prices have gone, it doesn't seem all that bad.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-10-11 13:49
Yup - at the time he had the most costly mouthpiece.
Now makers have included their ego in the prices and a mouthpiece which used to cost $85 is now $300.
Bad thing about that is that a student might pick the more costly one over the cheaper one based solely on price and not quality.
I even saw a student mouthpiece that used to cost $35 now being $65!!!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-10-11 14:43
If your fingernails fail you try a credit card...
Bob Draznik
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