 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brandon Marc
Date: 1999-02-27 22:41
Hi! I'd like to ask you the quick question: What does Bore Oil do? I don't know anyone who oils their clarinet (at home anyway), but I would like to care for my instrument in any way possible. COuld anyone please fill me in with what bore oil does and how often it should be applied, and what kind of bore oil to use? Thanks so much.
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Author: Andy
Date: 1999-02-28 05:30
Well, Bore oil is used to keep the clarinet from cracking (that is if you have a wooden one) if you don't have a wooden clarinet just forget it. But if you do you should try to oil it al least once or twice a month (i do it 3 times a month to be careful). What the oil actully does is keep the insterment moist (ish) since the nature of wood is this: if it gets wet (like playing it) it will expand. When it drys out it'll go back to normal. You don't want this to happen because the changes in the wood will make it crack. The oil just makes it stay expandedish.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-02-28 05:46
Oiling is a controvertial subject. Of course a plastic clarinet doesnt need any (though it can be used to alter the flow of water down the bore). Oiling a wooden clarinet depends on who you talk to, and the climate where you live. Three times a month (per Andy) is excessive IMHO. I live in northern California and oil every 3 months. The best thing to do is phone up the local repair shop and ask them what they recommend for your climate. Don't just ask one shop, call 2 or 3.
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Author: Brandon Marc
Date: 1999-02-28 08:31
Thank you very much for your response. I came to the conclusion that bore oiling is important because it can prevent your clarinet from cracking. It is very unlikely for my clarient to crack here in Hawaii, becaus ethe climate is constantly warm and humid here, but if I do go up to the mainland, then it may be risky business. Lucky thing it didn't crakc at Interlochen this summer. That happened to a few of my freinds, but the weather wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. Thanks again!
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-02-28 13:00
According to Buffet, they impregnate their clarinets at the factory with oil and recommend that you do NOT oil theirs. However older clarinets and other brands and models can be a different story.
Several times a month is excessive. I live in South Dakota where it gets very dry indoors in the winter. Generally I will oil about three times in the winter, say about early October, early January, and early March.
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Author: Alec Thigpen
Date: 1999-02-28 17:58
I bought a Buffet prestige bass clarinet a couple of years ago, and I asked the tech at Buffet about oiling, and the written response was that for the first year, none was required, but after that, to oil it if it started to show any signs of dryness. They soak the wood at the factory quite sufficiently to last for a good while. The wood didn't seem to readily absorb the oil on the one occasion I oiled it, so I think it will be fine for a while.
My Selmer 10 that I had in the 60's and 70's, soaked up quite a lot of oil, so I kept oiling it until it seemed to be saturated. I've never had a crack in any of my clarinets. The R-13 I have absorbed a fair amount of oil over the last 20 years, but not like the Selmer.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-03-01 21:46
Interesting observation about my fairly new Festival that has unstained wood. It can absorb some oil even though its only a few years old (manufacturing date of mid 1994). I don't put too much on the horn, but it starts out a litle dull looking and it does have a light sheen to it after I oil it and not too much oil comes off the rag. The total amount of oil is perhaps 10 drops of pure sweet almond oil for the entire horn, inside and out, with most of the oil staying in the Qtip cotton. I average realistically about once every 2 to 3 months between oilings.
I live in central TX with typical indoor conditions of warm dry winters and over air conditioned summers. I don't play the horn outside.
Based on your experiences and this particular situation, is this still too early to have an oiling regimen for my horn?
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