 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tb0b
Date: 2000-11-09 01:06
What kind/brand of oil do you recommend for the keys?
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Author: Karel V.
Date: 2000-11-09 01:40
Bob, I was advised to use clock oil because it is more viscous and so quietens the key movements.
Karel.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2000-11-09 03:30
Odly enough, a bottle of "Micro" Woodwind Oil I have has another label under the "Woodwind Oil" label. It reads "Slide Lubricant"--for Trombones. Take your choices I guess.
Bob A
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-11-09 12:06
And the Swiss-made cork grease I use says on the label that it can also be used for brass slides and valves.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-11-09 12:14
I recommend Alisyn totally synthetic "Heavy Duty Key Oil". It is slower to evaporate and leaves NO residue.
I would NEVER use "3-in-one" oil. It used to advertise as a solvent, lubricate and polish. Yes, A POLISH!! .... and when the solvent evaporated it left a firm, non-lubricating residue. I imagine it still does.
I have also used lathe bed oil (for metal-cutting lathes). Being quite viscous it quietens noisy keys well. Its properties required for lathe beds are ideally suited for our pivots: rust resistance, low 'grip-slip', good adherence to surface, good load carrying under high pressure (eg at point pivots), slow evaporation, little or no residue. Castrol "Magna BD68" is an example. The only problem here in NZ is getting less than 20 litres!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-11-09 20:28
Our sympathys in NZ, Gordon!! Didn't we have a go-around on oils not long back? search the PHORUM for it. I still prefer to add at least a few drops of motor oil [SAE 30 or 40 or transmission fluid!! which is 10W oil with lots of detergents added] to regular key oil. Years ago I worked in lube oil research and like a bit of "bright-stock" in both motor and key oils. I oil infrequently and sparingly. Don
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-11-10 12:16
But do the detergents make the oil MORE combatible with water? Does detergent allow the oil to ABSORB more water? Does this water help to rust the pivots? Me not knowing!!!
By the way I reckon the reason oil vanishes so fast from some pivots, especially side keys, and allows them to rust, is that the slotted ends of the pivot rods contact the lining of the case and the fabric just soaks away the oil. Voila!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-11-10 17:57
Interesting question and hypothesis, Gordon! RE: detergent, those suitable and used for oils are quite different from those used for dish and fabric washing. I doubt that any water retention and/or absorbency problems would ever result from the very low concentrations of "syn-dets" and antioxidants in a few drops of oil in a lot of key oil. Their function is lubricate and prevent rusting. Re: oil disappearance, I think its more a problem of evaporation over time, thats why I use a bit of heavier [lower vapor pressure] oil in the usual "light" key oil. 'Nuff said? Don
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-11-12 02:11
I was using 10w30 synthetic motor oil, but now I have switched to synthetic automatic transmission fluid (ATF). The ATF is a lighter oil and more responsive. Being synthetic makes it less reactive to temperature changes such as going from a warm band hall to a football field where the temps are in the 30s. As for the extra detergents found in ATF, Its great for sticky valves and lifters.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-11-12 09:47
Automotive oils have a wide range of additives to deal with the special conditions inside an engine, eg heat, foaming, extreme pressure, carrying away metal dust and heat, etc, etc. These special additives are not needed for musical instruments so why choose to use them. Indeed some additives will react with non-ferrous metals, and most of them will leave residues as they evaporate. These residues are most UNdesirable in the large surface area pivots of musical instruments.
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