 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: langly
Date: 2000-03-06 22:32
Whenever you sand a reed, I've been told to use 220 grit sandpaper. Is this accurate?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-06 23:05
I use something much finer - 400 wet-or-dry if I have to take a lot off, 600 for polishing, and a flat bastard cut file for final touchup/polishing (it leaves an absolutely mirror final cut and is as flat as a sheet of glass).
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-06 23:17
I don't sand my reeds. I just polish the backs by first soaking them in water, blotting off the excess moisture and then rubbing them back and forth on a sheet of typing paper that is on a flat surface. Afterwards I put the reeds in a reed holder and let them dry.
With 220 grit paper, you won't have any reed left.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-03-06 23:45
Interesting, I sand the back of my reeds only, dry, to flatten them and, if needed, to soften, on 6 or 800 mesh emery "paper" on a very flat surface, pushing the reed to the edge with pressure from several fingers . Seems to work for me! Don
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Author: Brandon
Date: 2000-03-07 00:04
As you go throughout your playing career you will find that everyone will have his or her own opinion regarding reed adjustment. I sand the back to make sure that it is flat. Sometimes I have to use reed rush to balance it out. 220 grit sand paper would probably kill the reed and kill the heart of the reed also. I never soak my reeds. That is not right or wrong. Just do what works for you. I once heard of a guy keeping his reeds stored in Vodka at all times. I don't know if I would recommend that. However, I have never tried it...
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2000-03-07 00:11
langly --
I'll try to clarify something here.
Of course you can sand reeds with 220 grit paper. For that matter, you can use 80 grit paper.
The reason why most people use the grits Mark suggests (400 first cut, 600 for polishing) is that the finer grit paper allows more delicate adjustment and makes it less likely that you will remove too much wood. Remember that you can always sand off a little bit more but once the wood is gone you cannot replace it. Sand a little, try the reed, then sand a little more if need be.
Without doing a dissertation on the history of abrasives technology, suffice it to say that the reason many older books advise abrasives such as dutch rush, typing paper, brown paper bags etc. for finishing reeds is that old time "sandpaper" was one of the worst things you could use for adjusting reeds. Its surface was irregular and uneven. Due to bonding problems the grit material tended to flake off and embed itself in the reed.
Modern silicon carbide paper (called "wet or dry" because you can use it either wet or dry) is light years ahead of the old stuff in all respects.
Whatever grit(s) you choose, make sure that you buy "wet or dry" paper made by 3M or Norton, available at any hardware store or home center. This is the stuff that is charcoal gray in color. Some people use the lighter colored paper (alumimnum oxide) in the mistaken belief that the darker paper will leave dark colored deposits on their reeds. The wet or dry paper can (and should) be washed and reused many times in an application such as reed adjustment. One 9x11 sheet cut up into small pieces may last you a lifetime.
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Author: langly
Date: 2000-03-07 01:48
PROBLEM: My local hardware stores don't sell 600 grit sandpaper - do you know where i can get some?
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Author: Joe Vacc
Date: 2000-03-07 02:54
One place you can try is your local hobby shop. Testors brand model sanding film comes in an assortment package that includes 400 and 600 grit. The film has a polyester backing; it can be snapped out and washed. They last forever. I also like the size of them; they are 4"x3". They work great on a piece of glass. Hope this is helpful.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-07 02:56
Another place to try is an auto supply store. 400, 600, and 1200 grit paper is used in automotive finishing.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-03-07 04:20
I wouldn't use the coarse stuff (220) as it may dig out the softer "meat" between the hard fibers. Like Mark said, the best place to get the finer sand paper is your local auto supply. They should have it with adhesive backing already in place. As for a glass smooth finish, you can get 1500-1600 grit polishing cloth (used for polishing crankshafts).
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Author: Beejay
Date: 2000-03-07 07:49
I rub two pieces of fine sandpaper together until only virtually none of the abrasiveness remains. I use the resulting sheet to polish rather than sand down the back of the reed. If the reed needs shaving, I use a throw-away surgeon's scapel (I buy mine in the local pharmacy), which enables me to remove a few grains at a time. I use the blade very lightly and test the reed every couple of strokes, since it is very easy to pass the mark where the reed changes from being ideal to too soft. .
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-03-07 17:00
The old fashioned reed rush is a classic reed sanding tool. That's because the grass draws up very fine particles of sand as it grows, making it a superb ultra fine grit reed sanding tool. Get some help from a pro on how to prepare a reed rush, but basically it's a wet sanding technique that is a sand-and-test drill like mentioned above. The new ultra fine high tech sandpaper is a modern version of the same idea. Keep the paper slightly wet to let the water take the net abrasiveness of the sand down to a reasonable level. Again, get help from a pro on the proper techniques for the flat and upper surfaces of the reed. Keep in mind that it's still a sand-and-test drill to make sure you haven't done more damage than good.
A point of reminder needs to be made. Some of the solid plastic reeds (Fibercell style) can be lightly shaved with a sharp blade for minor adjustments. Caution: Kids should never try this at home without adult supervision. This is because you need a mercilessly sharp blade (pocket knife, scalpel, Exacto knife, etc.) and one slip could end up severely damaging much more than just a reed. However, the tubular plastic reeds (Legere style) can't take sanding or shaving of any kind. You will end up destroying a very expensive reed if you try to doctor it up.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-07 20:36
paul wrote:
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However, the tubular plastic reeds (Legere style) can't take sanding or shaving of any kind. You will end up destroying a very expensive reed if you try to doctor it up.
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Not exactly true. A sharp reed knife will work on a Legere just as it works on a natural reed. My son shaped his slightly - that's how I know.
Sanding is a no-no.
The one real problem is if you accidentally cut too much off a Legere you will have burned a much larger pile of cash than if you muck up a regular reed.
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