 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: christian_comeau
Date: 2005-09-11 14:04
Hi, in my city band, I changed my instrument (yamaha YCL-24) for a better one (Selmer, not really identified), it's a old clarinet in wood and has a great sound for me, but two problems, it's sticky and some keys are a little slow.
Can I "sponge it" with a wet tissue or something else?
And for the slow keys, they are two, the left hand C#5 key and the ring aroud the F4 hole. Have you experienced such problems?
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-09-11 15:26
Hello,
Try backing the screws of the sticking keys out just a bit.
I'm not sure I understand your stickyness problem. Is it on the surface of the wood? If so, you can clean it like you mention. If it's the pads, wet some cigarette paper or a dollar bill, put it under the pad, close the pad softly and pull the paper out.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-09-11 15:55
In years past some people used linseed oil on clarinet wood and it can give wood a sticky feel. I'd try wiping it with a cloth slightly wetted with Formby's lemon oil. Just one possibility.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-09-11 19:15
I was going to say what BobD did as to {illadvisadly} using slow-drying oils to preserve our wood cls, rather than "nut et al" oils such as almond, apricot and other "suitables"[ Doc's], where excess can be easily wiped off. If such as linseed oil has gotten onto the pivot rods and screws, I'd suggest removing them, cleaning and using key oil, perhaps with a few drops of a heavier oil in your "lube bottle" for a longer lubricated life. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-11 20:43
I use linseed oil on the bore, but wipe it within seconds after applying it to coat the bore as evenly as possible so there's no build-up - I never leave instruments running with oil, as linseed oil only coats the bore, it doesn't penetrate the wood.
And that's with all the keys off, and any that does get from the bore into toneholes can be cleaned off without any chance of the pads or mechanism getting sticky.
As for the outside of the joints I usually use a dry strip of cloth to buff the surface after polishing up the pillars (or in extreme cases remove all the pillars and buff the joints on a buffing wheel with tripoli, then use a softer mop and finish with a swansdown mop to get a deep shine).
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2005-09-11 22:06
(Disclaimer - I sell a plant derived oil for woodwinds)
We have had many discussions on wood and oiling but personally I would not use linseed oil on the wood at all. I believe in letting the wood "breathe" naturally and exchange moisture both in an out of the wood. If you clog the pores and channels of the wood with linseed oil, and the lint and other particles which become bound to it, you loose this valuable characteristic of the wood. Linseed oil without drying agents remains sticky. The oil used to impregnate the wood at the factory is not linseed oil and this is done for the dual purpose of aiding in machining but also to maintain the structure and moisture balance of the wood since plant derived oils will bind a certain amount of moisture. Wood properly oiled with oils similar to those used at the factory will not become water logged nor become overly dried out.
Sealing the bore may be an option but every microscopic area may not be sealed, or the sealant may wear off over time and these areas will soak up more water than adjacent areas which results in disproportionate hydraulic pressures in the wood - the making of a potential disaster.
L. Omar Henderson
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