 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-03-08 00:18
Originally asked for suggestions on what tool to use but found the answer to my question with a search. Thanks.
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2011-03-08 00:27)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-03-08 00:38
I think a fine-tooth blade hacksaw or coping saw should work fine. I've used this to cut down cane Bb reeds for Eb. Cut a little into the bottom and then come down from the top. This avoids splintering and keeps any rough area in the middle where you can trim it off with an Exacto knife.
I can't find the posting, but someone recently mentioned an Eb barrel with a flat area ground off the outside at the top so that the extra length of the Bb reed would fit. Obviously this would need to be a ringless barrel.
Ken Shaw
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2011-03-08 02:26
The Backun Eb Clarinet barrel has this feature, but I'm not sure if there is another one.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2011-03-08 02:30
Quote:
The Backun Eb Clarinet barrel has this feature, but I'm not sure if there is another one.
Allan Segal has made an Eb barrel with a cutout also.
I couldn't find my saw to cut down Bb reeds - I ended up scoring the reed on both side with my reed knife and then using a throwaway steak knife to saw through the rest. It worked...and I still have all my fingers, by the grace of god I'm sure...
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-03-08 04:03
Anvil pruners work very, VERY well on cutting Bb reeds down to Eb length. I use them all the time and got a nice pair from Lowe's for maybe 8-10 bucks. Well worth it, since I use White Masters for Eflat.
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Author: William
Date: 2011-03-08 14:43
I use an electrical wire crimper--wide, flat head--for cutting down Bb reeds to fit my effer. And, my reeds are all Forestones.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-03-08 17:05
Thanks to all of you for your responses. Ken from the time stamps, I suspect you may have responded to my original question -- before I searched earlier threads and changed my message entirely. When I finally attack this project, I will probably start with a coping saw, keeping a hacksaw in reserve. They appear to be the best tools I have at hand and I've used them on cane reeds in the past with good success.
The problem is that (at least some) synthetic reeds are apparently quite different from cane in terms of the strength of the material. Before I posted my question, I did some experimenting with an old Legere that was no longer usable. (And it's quite a bit worse now. ) I find that the material in Legeres is like iron. I tried a serrated knife, an exacto knife, tinners snips, a coping saw and a hacksaw. The first three were totally worthless. The coping saw was capable of scratching the surface but not much more. Perhaps if I had been willing to keep at it for a couple of hours .... The hacksaw finally did do the job but it was a lot more work than I expected -- I had to clamp the reed to my "cutting board" -- and the end result, while it works, is a little ugly. (I can't rule out the possibility that my blades are a little dull but at least the one on the coping saw is almost brand new. Also, I didn't exercise the patience I will exercise with a new Forestone.)
William, it was one of your postings about cutting down Forestones that I first encountered in my search so I know your tool must work. The problem is there are so many different types of wire crimper that I'm not sure exactly what you used. I tried a tool similar to what I thought you were describing. On the Legere, all it succeeded in doing was to make a small impression on each side of the reed and create a 1/2 inch split perpendicular to the "cut." I don't know whether my results were because I used a different (wrong) tool than you or because the material of the Legere is quite different from the Forestone (which includes bamboo in the mix). Given the cost of Forestones, I'm not inclined to find out the hard way. (BTW, David, after reading your post, I gave my anvil pruners a try on the Legere. No luck. With the Legere's, anyway, I doubt I can get enough leverage with hand tools of this type.)
Considering they are just under $25 a pop, I was originally looking for reports from people like William, who have actually cut down Forestones to find out what kind of material I'm up against. (BTW, before I posted here, I did try to ask the manufacturer through the link on their website but, when I clicked the "send" button, I got an "Error - not found" message for the link. (Sigh.))
Regarding the barrels with a cutout, I think they are a great idea. However, I have a Fobes barrel (and extension) that I am very happy with and, considering my age and the number of times I play Eb in a year, I'm not inclined to invest in another barrel at this point.
Thank you all, again.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: donald
Date: 2011-03-08 17:35
The main drawback with the cut-out barrels is that you can't rotate them to find the "sweet spot" (if you are one of the many players who wishes to do so). Well, you CAN, but then you may or may not be able to utilize the cut-out.
dn
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-03-08 20:32
jnk -
I did answer your query shortly after it was posted.
Legeres are a different animal, made I think from many, many fine threads bonded together. When you try to scrape a Legere with a knife or sandpaper, the fibers loosen and fluff up, making the reed unplayable. I wouldn't try to saw the end off one.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-03-08 22:43
Well, in case anyone is interested, I successfully cut the ends off two Forestone Bb reeds today. I ended up using a small miter saw with teeth a little larger than a hacksaw but still relatively small. The frame made it easy to hold the reed steady and to obtain a straight 90° cut. The Forestones are tough but not, I think, as tough as Legeres.
From the description of the Forestones, I've always assumed that the manufacturer was embedding small bamboo fibres or dust in the plastic. However, it looks to me like the body of the reed below the vamp is a solid piece of bamboo with a thin plastic coating. If one looks closely at the butt of the reeds, this is actually apparent. I can't tell, for sure, how far up the reed the bamboo extends but it may be that it thins out and extends into the heart. The tip appears to be entirely plastic.
The cut-down reeds work extremely well for me -- very responsive with clear tone throughout the range. They are also far more consistent for me in altissimo than other reeds I have tried.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-03-08 23:33
I have some Forestones both older and younger than the ones with the visible bamboo in the butt end. The earlier ones did not have that "filler".
Bob Phillips
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Author: allencole
Date: 2011-03-09 18:00
Thought this would give you guys a chuckle. When I was in college, my professor had me play Eb using Bb reeds. The brand was Mitchell Lurie, and the procedure was as follows:
1. Cut off the butt end with toenail clippers
2. Slice off the sides with a one-sided razor blade.
3. Clip the tip to taste and proceed to the finer adjustments.
It worked okay, although I wasn't entirely happy with tone. But it resulted in some pretty stiff reeds that made intonation fairly easy to deal with.
Allen Cole
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