 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Benny
Date: 2000-12-23 01:57
Hi! Once I heard somewhere that if you leave a hard rubber m/p in a case with an horn that has silver keys the keys will tarnish and they are hard to fix. (Because the rubber gives off fumes? Does this ring a bell anyone?) Is this true, and if so, what can be done to prevent this? Thanks!
Benny
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-12-23 02:39
Normal hard rubber mouthpieces will not do this. However, cheap rubber, such as that in rubber bands can do so.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-23 07:40
I beg to differ. Hard rubber used for mouthpieces is made hard by the addition of a lot of extra sulfur (sulphur to me) to the mix. There is nothing that tarnishes silver better than sulphur.
I have seen hard rubber clarinets (from China) where the keys have turned almost black. (And there is not too much wrong with China's silver plating)
I suspect that a new mouthpiece gives off very little sulphur but as it ages the surface gradually 'perishes' and smells. I have little doubt that the releasing of sulphur compounds sulphur is included in the chemical break-down and that this is what tarnishes the silver surfaces to silver sulphide.
I suspect that MOST of the tarnish comes from the mouthpiece's sulphur if the mouthpiece is old and smelly.
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Author: Doug Perrenoud
Date: 2000-12-23 12:43
As has been mentioned before, you can put one of those silver tarnish strips in your case to help prevent the keys from tarnishing. I found some at my neighborhood hardware store next to the silver polish. Places that sell fine silverware also sell them.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-23 14:45
I wish my old horns still had enough plating left to tarnish.
If you play your horn regularly and see a repair tech oncetayear, this is an unlikely complication.
Methinks this to be less a prollem than electrolysis at car battery terminals, given proper care.
If this was a quick acid-base reaction, every vintage horn would suffer sulphur.
anji
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Author: mw
Date: 2000-12-23 15:26
Anji, as I am sure you are aware, many older horns feature german silver, rather than the silverplate or nickelplate we see on horns nowadays. Speak with John Butler. He just refurbed an old R-13 for me with german silver keywork. I could swear when I sent it off it was beyond "reclamation" except for plating over the existing german silver, which can be done easy enough but is $$$. (as in $125 or more) I mention this because I know you play an Evette Master Model (which may have german silver keywork).
The 3M strips are available from Ferree's for less than $10.00 a dozen. I think it was about $7 or so.
There is also a Silver Polish Kit available from a specialty webpage that has "everything" for silver keywork in a package for $30-35 geedas. If anyone is interested in the altter, please email me privately and I'll be happy to point you to the correct URL.
Happy Holidays to all.
mw
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-12-24 08:22
There is a lot about this subject in the archives. If you have a rubber mouthpiece, it doesn't do any harm to keep it wrapped up in the case. As for the anti-tarnish strips, I've tried a dozen stores in Europe and never been able to find them. If anyone has a source over here, please advise.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-24 12:02
beejay, track down your nearest 3M import agent from the phone book, or via suppliers of abrasives, and then ask them for a local outlet of the strips. Have you tried the fine silverware stores or manufacturers?
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-24 12:06
anji: It is not a 'simple acid-base' reaction. For details on causes of silver tarnish, prevention and treatment look at http://www.silversmithing.com/care.htm#Cleaning%20Silver
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-12-25 01:50
>Beejay
woodwind and brasswind has 3M anti-tarnish strips in their catalogue.
But they call it not with '3M'(three M=Minessota Mining and Manufacturing) name.
http://www.wwandbw.com/
I asked 3M subsidiary in Japan and found they do not sell it here either.
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Author: mw
Date: 2000-12-25 23:21
The Silver Tarnish Kit available on the Internet through a Silversmith is a real deal, including the strips. I believe they will ship overseas without you sending them a leg first.
I ordered the Kit I discussed & when I compared the components to actual cost, I thought it was (very) fairly priced. Also, whats wrong with Ferree's or various Internet Sites that sell the 3M strips. Have you checked to see if they won't ship overseas?
mw
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