 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: hellochris
Date: 2010-05-24 19:40
Hi,
I am new here. I had a great question though that I have received mixed responses from. I would like any professional (or amateur) opinions on how to close the pores on your reeds. I have been playing clarinet for a while, and have been using the dirt and oil that naturally comes from my thumb (or from your nose, yuck). Does anyone know if they have any applicant that you can use and just APPLY? Closing pores is to prevent water logging from what I understand, or to at least have less of it. Please suggest or lend your opinions on what is best. I appreciate your time.
Chris
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-05-24 19:49
Uhm, I just wipe the reed on my trousers once it comes off the beak. I don't do any preparatory work (I just put it in my mouth while I assemble the instrument) before going serious with it.
Don't worry - play.
--
Ben
Post Edited (2010-05-24 19:50)
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Author: hellochris
Date: 2010-05-24 19:53
I was most interested in knowing if there is anything I can just dip and apply to it. This is purely a shop question.
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Author: GLHopkins
Date: 2010-05-24 20:23
I'll seal the back by rubbing on paper, and use the oils in the thumb for the front if I bother with the front.
Post Edited (2010-05-24 20:26)
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-05-24 20:48
Throw some shellac on them. That seals them up real nice.
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Author: Ray
Date: 2010-05-24 22:28
This is an amateur opinion about a method that seems to work well. I have done this for so long that I have no idea who gets credit for the idea. Probably not me.
Some background: Try putting a lot of water on the vamp of a new reed and then blowing forcefully on the butt end of the reed while holding the reed parallel to the ground. See all the pretty bubbles? There are not only open "pores" on the vamp but open tubes that run through the reed.
For many years I have put a thick coat of clear nail polish on the butt of the reed before I do anything else. The idea is to prevent forcing saliva into those open tubes on the vamp so that the saliva doesn't begin to digest the reed.
If you put your finger on the end of a drinking straw and then push the other end of the straw into a glass of water you will see that the water does not enter the plugged straw because there is nowhere for the air inside to go. That's what I'm trying to achieve with the reed by plugging up the ends of the tubes.
I rotate at least eight reeds and mine last at least six months playing about six hours a week.
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Author: hellochris
Date: 2010-05-24 23:46
Ray,
This is a fantastic idea. I do know you can blow bubbles into a fresh reed from the heel. Completely makes sense, will try.
Shellac sounds way too extreme. Not something I am interested in trying.
Chris
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2010-05-25 00:04
I've always done this with my new reeds. Use a neat piece of plate glass and place the DRY reed on it , Then very carefully and firmly 'burnish' the reed with a round object such as a pen by sliding it from the bottom of the cut towards the tip a few times. no need to go all the way to the tip. I actually use a 1cm thick piece of glass rod (laboratory supplies) which is 10cm long. Do it in two stages, first with the reed near one edge of the plate glass and then move over near the other side. Be careful not to have the reed protruding over the glass edge. After doing this , do the bubble test again and there shouldn't be any. You now have a reasonably water proof reed. I've found that my reeds last a lot longer on average. When you wet your reeds before playing , either wet them in your mouth , or soak them in water only up to the bottom of the cut. Never place the entire reed in water to soak them.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2010-05-25 00:05)
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Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-05-25 07:25
Generations of clarinetists experimented with reeds in all directions...and they played them uncoated/unsealed mostly ;-)
Could be a technical playground, but if it's necessary or useful, I would be in doubts about.
kindly
Roman
PS: But if it's planned to seale the pores against water, then I would use a anorganic sealing based on silica (like included in the reed already) instead of organic nitro... ;-)
Post Edited (2010-05-26 08:23)
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Author: TomA ★2017
Date: 2010-05-25 11:10
I have tried walnut oil for this purpose (experimentally). Hard to tell whether it improves the reed or extends its life, but it seems to help (placebo effect, maybe).
Why walnut oil? It is used for sealing cutting boards and the like and is not toxic.
Tom
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-05-25 12:53
"For many years I have put a thick coat of clear nail polish on the butt of the reed before I do anything else. The idea is to prevent forcing saliva into those open tubes on the vamp so that the saliva doesn't begin to digest the reed."
Could you please clarify exactly where you are putting the nail polish?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-05-26 00:53
Yuk, you should never use any thing to "clog" the pores. I'll never forget when someone asked Stanley Hasty at a master class if they should use news paper to seal the pores with the news ink and he jumped all over it, never use any thing to clog the pores he said. You don't need to put stuff into the pores to close them, using the back of sand paper or on a clean piece of white paper works just fine. I never bother sealing the pores on the vamp portion of the reed because I don't think it did any good for my reeds though I know some players do that. What I could never understand is why some players take the time to seal the pores so the reed won't absorb too much water and then they let the reed sit in a glass of water for several minutes, or longer, so the reed will absorb water and get water soaked. If you're interested I have an article on that subject on my website in my reed page. Give it a look see if you're interested. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2010-05-26 02:43
Speaking for myself only, I seldom have much trouble with reeds as such and this may have something to do with me burnishing them prior to using them but , yes , it is a bit of a mystery why it would work. The part that mainly vibrates of course is the tip area and this is the part that I don't touch when I using the glass rod and this is the part that needs to become flexible with soaking either with saliva or water. My reeds last a good while until they go from a nice yellow new colour to a pale washed out look. I choose the reed strength to match the mouthpiece type. As far as I can remember I've never had any trouble with 'unbalanced' reeds either but maybe I'm just lucky. Out of a box of reeds on average I'd say I'd used all of them and only very rarely do I get a dud which I don't bother to try and adjust anyway.
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Author: hellochris
Date: 2010-05-26 02:52
Edward Palanker,
Your site is not working?
Post Edited (2010-05-26 03:21)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-05-26 03:57
Yes it does, I just tried it and it came up just fine. It may be that I was entering something on it at the same time you tried it and it interfered. Try it again, if you can't get it to work try using Safari or Fire Fox or something other then what you use. I opened it through AOL and if that works anything should work. Good luck, ESP
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Author: TM
Date: 2010-05-26 04:09
I rub it towards the tip of reed by my thumb couple times on a flat plastic glass. It works.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2010-05-26 09:33
I have heard of several of these techniques, but I've never used them because I was brought up to play on thoroughly soaked reeds. They end up that way anyway when you play on them.
However, I'll admit that some reeds are more porous than others. I've had V12's I could breathe through. They didn't play well for me.
EDIT: Actually I think 'soak' is the wrong word. I'm not talking baths of water here. I put the playing end in my mouth and give it a real good lick, the idea being to get the reed to playing consistency without playing it. The heel end stays mostly dry. Then the damp reed seals nicely on the mouthpiece. Afterwards, I take the reed off and let it dry on glass. Repeat...
Post Edited (2010-05-26 14:25)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-05-26 14:04
I've discussed this subject before but the reason I don't "soak" my reeds, as I explain in my reed page on by website, is so that they will not warp in the center of the reed. The reed needs to seal against the table of mouthpiece when you play, if it's warped it will leak and not respond well or sound good. Warping is a big problem with many people in many places and I explain why I do what I do. I know nothing works for everyone the way it works for me but as I've said many times on the board, I haven't had a reed warp, that is not seal, in well over 25 years since I've been doing what I do. I'm not exaggerating, my reeds never warp, period. That has nothing to do with closing the pores on the vamp, I just don't do that because I didn't like the effect but I know others do it to their satisfaction so I have nothing against others trying that. ESP
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2010-05-26 14:33
New reed:
Rub back on a sheet of 600 grit sandpaper supported on plate glass.
Put reed back-side down on the glass and sand the top with a piece of 600 grit paper large enough to cover the entire reed "cut" area --so that you don't snag the tip of the reed with the edge of the sandpaper and break it.
Bob Phillips
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Author: William
Date: 2010-05-26 18:30
I'll switch to the trombone before I ever go back to cane reeds. I'm using Forestones and enjoying making music instead of seaching through boxes for that perfect reed--or at the very least, one that plays "OK"--only to have it die when I really need it to play. And that's after hours, days, weeks of playtesting, sealing, curing, balancing, resealing, rebalancing, retesting, rotating with others, constant resealing, drying, retesting, rebalancing, using choice words of encouragement, rebalancing, and on and on and on.... With my new Forestone, just remove it from the box and it plays perfectly, every time. And mine are lasting indefinately and never die during a gig.
But to answer your question, most close the pores--or open ends of xylum created by the cut--by rubbing the vamp with a finger. Some also rub the back side or burnish it by rubbing on the back of #600 waterproof sandpaper until it shines--after light sanding to correct any warpage. Back in my old college days, there was this fad to carry unscented talcum powder and rub the vamps with that. It didn't last long...LOL. In any case, sealing the pores prevents too much saliva from saturating the cane causing it to become "waterlogged" and deteriorate sooner than is normal. On the other hand, one should not "soak" the reed in water--that just defeats the purpose for sealing in the first place. I recommend wetting the reed in your mouth, then rubbing the vamp lightly before putting it on your mouthpiece. Never a water glass. But what I now recommend to all my clarinet friends is to switch to Forestone reeds and forget about all those reed related hassels. Be cane free and enjoy playing the clarinet without fighting the reed.
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Author: hellochris
Date: 2010-05-26 23:06
Thanks William. This makes complete sense and is what most teachers share with their students. However, it would be nice to have a small jar of some sort of sealing oil around so you could just dip your finger and rub the front of the reed. I use the resurfacer to sand the back and it does just fine.
Any thoughts on any available commercial "oil"?
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Author: William
Date: 2010-05-27 00:50
I think that back in college, someone did try oils, but they just tended to build up, taste bad and more quickly degrade the cane. Seem to remember something about cold cream as well. Sorry I could not be of more real help, here--other than switching from cane to synthetic :>)
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