 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: corks&pads
Date: 2006-02-04 13:52
I'm an entry-level clarinet repair tech, but my background includes historic preservation and restoration. While starting an overhaul on a Buffet MM, a thought came to me and I wanted to see how others feel about this.
It seems to be standard practice to polish all of the metal on an instrument during an overhaul. I'm sure that most commercial customers love seeing the things coming back to them all shiny and sparkling, but is that really best for the instrument? Once the accumulated crud was gently removed from this B/MM, the metal had a pleasant patina. It looks more like a stately lady than a painted hussy.
Should nice older instruments be made to show that they wear their age well, or should we be trying to make them look like new again? Fifty years from now, will clarinet specialists look at our instruments and wonder what we were thinking as we buffed the metalwork to a high shine (while removing some amount of its original material)?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-02-04 16:31
I'd be in favour of just cleaning the dirt off and leaving the keys with their aged look if it's a vintage instrument - it should be mechanically sound but still look it's age.
But I am not without sin - when I was 15 I bought my Centered Tone pair and stripped them down and had the unplated keys and other metal parts silver plated, and a few years later I overhauled another Centered Tone and buffed all the keys up to a shine. But the last 1938 Buffet and couple of Centered Tones I overhauled I just cleaned up the keys without polishing them so they still kept their dignity.
But a 1962 Buffet Eb I bought for myself was in a mess, and I had this silver plated - and it was done very well, losing no definition of the keys through buffing.
But I still stand firm when it comes to classic saxes - relacquered? NO!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2006-02-04 16:31)
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Author: ClariBone
Date: 2006-02-04 16:58
Although not a technician, but as a customer, I would prefer the tech to ask me what I wanted. Some may want the clarinet all shiny and new-looking, while others may prefer the well-worn look. Just a thought...
Clayton
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Author: ron b
Date: 2006-02-04 17:29
To re-enforce Clayton's opinion, I (and other techs in my locale) always explain pretty much what your feeling on the matter is, Cork&Pads; then let the customer decide what to do. In either situation though, the keys are given a thorough cleaning. So, while the gracious lady is not imitating a painted hussy she is elegantly 'spiffy'. Nuthin' like a good bath and fresh clothes to "wow 'em" 
Less expensive, general-use (public) school student instruments are generally polished to the max. Generally speaking [dangerous ground, I know], sparkly instruments are much more important to young band members than a dull horn with great intonation. But, again, the band director has the final say.
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-02-04 20:47
Mike Hammer, a well-known tech in Bensalem PA near Phila., uses a wire type brush to buff nickle keys.
Silver might be a different story.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: wwinds
Date: 2006-02-05 00:55
Many of the younger musicians place a value on the shine of the instrument. These tend to be lesser expensive instruments and will probably be replace with a step up instrument later on if they continue with clarinet. I think it is better for the longevity of the instrument to simply clean the keys well, but the choice is for the customer to make.
Repairing brass and woodwind instruments
www.whisperingwindsrepair.netfirms.com
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Author: D
Date: 2006-02-06 18:50
Hey, nice to meet a fellow conservator.....who also seems to have been trained never to touch the objects!
Something I wanted to add to the pot here, is that yes the plating will eventually wear away if you keep polishing it. But realistically, how often does a clarinet get properly polished? Once every ten years? It would eventually wear away the plating, but that would take a jolly long time. We are not talking about a daily rubbing of engraved silver candlesticks with jewellers rouge.
I am not trying to advocate polishing or not polishing, because I am still undecided myself, but I just wanted to point out that the small amount of metal removed is very very very small....................unless you are using wire wool...................
Actually, what ARE you using?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-02-06 19:49
> Actually, what ARE you using?
Why, steel wool of course. A nail file for stubborn spots. And the mouthpiece goes into the dishwasher. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
Disclaimer: don't try this at home...
--
Ben
Post Edited (2006-02-06 19:50)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2006-02-06 20:11
I restore quite a few old clarinets, and I take sort of a middle ground. I like to clean and polish the metalwork with Brasso (or silver polish if silver), but not to use a buffing wheel. So the metalwork ends up free of tarnish and moderately shiny, but not polished to a bright mirror finish. It's really a matter of taste, I think -- I don't believe there are 'right' and 'wrong' approaches. In my experience Brasso, used in moderation, will not remove precious metal or thin plating, as long as it is rubbed with a soft cotton cloth (bath towels work great).
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Author: ron b
Date: 2006-02-06 21:36
Dave... "(bath towels work great)." * ? ? ? *
[uuummmmmm.... does Mrs. S. know about this or do you sneak 'em into the laundry in the wee hours when no one's lookin' ?]
I worry about you sometimes, Dave.
:)
- rb -
(who went through two cans of Brasso and six raggedy shop cloths just last week)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2006-02-06 22:05
ron b, if you tell my wife, I'll end up in the barn overhauling clarinets in the Donkey's stall (not that he would mind, he's a very friendly sort, unlike some other Asses I've known).
She was wondering why the kids came out from their baths with black tarnish-looking splotches all over them.............
You should see how much cotton towel I went through when I overhauled my silver-plated low-A bari sax last year (plus two jars of Wright's Silver Cream).
![[toast]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley15.gif)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2006-02-07 00:13
[...mum's da woid... (shhhhhh, nice Donkey ] . . . .
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Author: corks&pads
Date: 2006-02-07 19:05
"Actually, what ARE you using?"
First of all, when I posted this I wasn't really thinking about the middle school Bundy Beaters and Plastic-O Fantastic-O models. I wouldn't have any qualms over placing those on the wheel, then turning them back over to their grinning owners. Flames, racing stripes, YuGiOh decals ... whatever makes your 7th grader happy.
I was thinking more about higher-end instruments, and especially nice older instruments, that you might personally own or whose owners appreciate what they have (or who would welcome your advice).
As for what I personally use on metal--especially if it's removed from the wood...
I've found that most grunge can be gently removed using a little Go-Jo mechanic's hand cleaner (the kind WITHOUT pumice grit in it). What that doesn't take off is usually either corrosion or adhesive. The Go-Jo cleans off dried grease and grime, cleans up easily, and leaves the metal looking pretty decent by itself.
If the metal is removed from the wood, or if you are exceptionally careful, a little acetone on a swab takes care of most adhesive materials. When polish is essential, I prefer Simichrome--applied and buffed by hand.
On wood I tend to just use almond oil. How, and how much, depends on the condition of the wood. The same "don't touch it" dictum that applies to most other objects doesn't make as much sense when it comes to wooden instruments. I view oiling the wood as part of reasonable conservation, rather than an attempt at restoration.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2006-02-08 05:18
What DO we use? I see your point. We haven't been overly specific or detailed.
As a brief personal example, I happen to be in the middle of doing a (nickel)silver C-Melody sax complete re-pad. The sandblast finish body and shiney plated brass keys are quite tarnished from sitting in a "closet(?)" for over forty years; dark and dull but not too badly discolored. All keys are off now and being polished with Brasso. The body will also get the Brasso treatment. Everything will then get a Simple Green bath and warm water rinse to remove polish residue and to de-grease the keys. Then, re-cork, re-pad, re-assemble. It'll look quite spiffy and play like it's supposed to. No buffing and no scratch brushing necessary on this one.
Next in line is a Tarogato with nickle-silver keys, unplated. The keys will get the Brasso treatment, then a very light buffing with a soft wheel - first, with white rouge - then degreased (Simple Green) and lightly buffed with black rouge, then red. A minor bell crack will be filled with blackwood dust and super glue, then the wood body oiled with Doc Henderson's wood oil. Must wait for all oil to absorb thoroughly before proceeding because we're using RooPads on this one.
Neither instrument is in bad shape so no solder cleanup or other intensive cleaning, aside from [ad]dressing the crack repair, should be necessary on these. The strategy is to use the least abrasive method that's best suited, in my estimation, to the materials we're dealing with.
A Buffet clarinet like yours, Corks&Pads, would likely be handled much like the aforementioned Tarogato, the keys getting a (customer pre-approved, of course) Very Light soft wheel buffing. Otherwise, the keys would be hand cleaned and polished only. Either way will give a nice final result.
r b
Post Edited (2006-02-08 05:21)
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