 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Margaret
Date: 2008-02-24 00:18
Hello,
I recently purchased an old (1964), wooden clarinet because I always wanted to try overhauling one- I think the result of my 'clarinetless' days, hoping to find a bargain at flea markets, etc. in middle school and early high school.
I have removed the keys, cleaned the screws, washed the body and oiled it inside and out as well as polished the corrosion off of the keys, where necessary.
I would like to make the keys shinier, if possible. Would either rubbing compound (like that used for cars) or rouge (like that used for gemstones) be appropriate here, and if so, what grade should I use?
If this is a bad idea, what would you recommend?
I have a local repair tech who is aware of why I am doing this and who is willing to tell me what size pads I need, and to both sell them to me and show me how to seat them. However, I do not wish to bother him with other details, because I'm sure he'd rather be focusing on other, full jobs.
If anyone's curious, it's a Normandy 8, with no cracks/ previous repairs/ chips and the bore looks good. I think it's just been neglected for a long time.
I'm redoing the case too.
Thanks for any input,
Margaret
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Author: Chelle
Date: 2008-02-24 00:34
Well, I don't know if this is the correct way, but on the clarinets I've redone, I've used Blue Magic metal polish and either a polishing cloth, or even a dremel with a buffing wheel (that polished them better, faster, but it also splatters polish all over the place). Again, that's just what I did, someone who's more of an expert on restoring instruments should probably chime in.
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2008-02-24 03:12
The hard felt polishing wheels that come with Dremel tools work fine as long as you are doing just one or two clarinets. They wear out pretty quickly. I use jewelers rouge, you can buy it at Home Depot. Get yourself one of the the large 12 gallon? clear plastic boxes and work in it to avoid splattering rouge all over the walls, table and ceiling. It will stain things. If you have a bench grinder for sharpening take the metal skirt and wheel off one side and get a 6" muslin buffing wheel. It works ok too but be careful as it will grab keys out of your fingers. Definitely put the grinder/buffer in the plastic box. Absolutely wear safety glasses.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uJYnkVaojAM
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-02-24 11:02
Are the keys unplated or nickel plated?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Margaret
Date: 2008-02-24 14:37
Thank you for your ideas, Chelle, Bill and David. I will investigate them.
Chris, the keys were nickel plated, I suspect, from certain unworn areas, but as it stands now, the plating has worn off, and they are essentially unplated.
Thanks everyone,
Margaret
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-02-24 15:17
Happich SemiChrome polish (available in hardware stores) works well on nickel-plated keys.
For instruments with silver-plated keys, I'll use a jeweler's rouge cloth if they're not too bad, but if I buy an instrument that's old and severely tarnished, I use cream silver polish sold for tableware. To avoid tarnishing and repeated polishing that will eventually wear down the plating, I leave a 3M Silver Protector Strip (available in stores that sell sterling silver tableware) in the closed case.
With any of the paste polishes, I do the polishing with the keys off the instrument. Then I rinse the keys with water, dry them throughly, run a pipe cleaner through all the screw-holes, then leave the keys to dry at least overnight in the air before I lightly oil the screws, springs and screw holes and put the instrument back together. Rinsing all the polish off is important, because once it dries, it shows and looks crummy, and dried polish can also impede key action.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-02-24 15:35
I do exactly what Lelia described, using brasso as David suggested. I use a toothbrush at the sink, followed by buffing with an old cotton cloth (cotton diapers actually, available at walley world or target).
It doesn't take very long if I have a few students helping - maybe 20 minutes (plus the overnight drying time).
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: robertgh
Date: 2008-02-24 16:51
I agree with Leila's procedures and also find that the Happich SimiChrome polish does an excellent job on nickel-silver. I've used Q-tips and wooden toothpicks to work off deeply tarnished spots. Toothpick tips dipped in the polish are particularly effective on crevices. Leblanc makes a nickel-silver polishing cloth that is good for routine cleanings on the broad surfaces of keys and cups. Finally, I keep a Gleam Purafil packet (available from Doctor's Products) in the case to inhibit tarnish build- up.
One other thought—if you keep a humidifier in the case use distilled water. I'm no chemist, but I suspect that the fewer impurities, the less chance for tarnish, particularly from sulfides.
Bob H.
Post Edited (2008-02-24 20:55)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-02-24 17:09
I do pretty much what Lelia and Paul do, in my case, hand polishing with old cotton t-shirts. I don't like Brasso, however. I find it too abrasive (and perhaps I associate it too much with army camp). I have a couple of tubes of Happich Simichrome that came with a sculpture my wife and I purchased. I think it is an excellent polish and items polished with it seem to resist subsequent tarnishing for several months but I haven't been able to find it around here (St. Louis) so I hoard what I have for use on the sculpture. For clarinet keys, I use Flitz polish. It seems to work fine with unplated nickel silver, nickle plating and silver plating. I do all my polishing by hand because I only recondition clarinets as a hobby and can't justify the cost of a buffing wheel. If I had one, I would probably use it. If I were doing the work professionally, I would definitely want one to speed up the process.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Ray
Date: 2008-02-25 00:47
I use mainly SimiChrome (works great on silver and nickel plate) and on some tough stuff I use a buffing wheel with Fabulustre (from the jewelry trade). Fabulustre doesn't spray all around the room, but you have to scrub the residue off the keys with Dawn in warm water and a toothbrush.
For tight spaces, especially around the ring keys, I find that a thick braided athletic shoelace loaded with SimiChrome really helps. Put the key in a soft-jawed vise and use the shoelace like ragging tape. I also use a couple of sizes of shoelaces to do posts and barrel rings.
I am struggling with an old unplated Pruefer clarinet. Does anyone have a recommendation for polishing nickel silver? I guess this is a form of white brass so maybe I should try Brasso.
Best,
Ray
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-02-26 10:47
Brasso works well with cupro-nickel (i.e. unplated) keys. Use thin strips of rag to work around keys and posts.
An old electric toothbrush possibly helps for crevices.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-02-26 13:41
"Put the key in a soft-jawed vise and use the shoelace like ragging tape."
Or, clamp one end of the shoelace in your vice (or tied to a hook or eyelet screwed into your workbench), hold the other end taut and strop the keys as you would with an old cut-throat razor - this way you won't mark the key if it slips or moves in the vice and you can get into the corners between key arms and barrels.
I take the needle springs out to polish the pillars up, but beware with beryllium copper or phosphor bronze springs - they can snap flush with the pillars and then be a bugger to remove if you use too much force which can flare the broken end.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-02-26 15:53
Lots of good inside tips here. I've never used the Hauppage product but will give it a go. I go through Qtips like popcorn. And I use just a dremel with a wire brush on nickelSilver keywork. I have also used Renaisannce Wax as a post cleaning protective film on "touch" areas.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Margaret
Date: 2008-02-27 03:33
Thanks everyone,
I went with the polish idea, as I'm not very coordinated, and don't usually use my father's power tools (like for a dremel) which seemed to be necessary for the other ideas
They turned out pretty nicely, but I fear I took some finish off with the initial sandpaper (prior to wisely deciding to post this message) to remove the raised, corroded areas, but they are smooth and they look a lot better.
I then took the whole thing to the repair tech, who showed me how to set pads and matched the cups to appropriate sizes. He even gave me a cork pad for the register key (I've never had that before). I also had him change the tenon corks, as it looked very finicky. They let us (my father and I) watch while they worked. Someone else was also working on a clarinet and a third person was fixing a tuba. It was very neat to see.
It took absolutely forever for me to get the keys right- the lower right hand Eb key took me over two hours before I realized what was wrong with the fit (the post was loose and pointing slightly off), and I even had a picture with all of the keys laid out, with their screws, labeled. It looked like an evidence picture
I played it today for a few minutes and it actually works! If this makes any sense at all, compared to my other clarinet (Normandy 4, from early '80s to '90s), it sounds 'bigger'. It also sounds louder, using the same reed and mouthpiece. However, it is in tune. So I guess my experiment to revive an instrument was a success.
Thanks again, and have a good night.
Margaret
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