 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: I Love Clarinets
Date: 2011-09-11 02:52
How do you know when to oil the bore of your clarinet? Also what are some ways of oiling the bore?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-09-11 06:44
For many players and repair techs oiling the bore is rarely necessary at all unless an instrument has become extremely dried out. This is an ongoing debate.
Karl
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-09-11 08:54
I apply oil when the bore of an instrument appears dried out, or whenever I get a new-to-me clarinet.
I use two cheap pull-through swabs exclusively for oiling bores--a flannel one for oil application, and a chamois one for mopping up excess oil.
I apply oil very sparingly with the flannel swab, then let the horn sit for a day. If all the oil has absorbed, I oil again, let the horn sit for another day, then check it again for unabsorbed oil, repeating the once-a-day oilings until there's unabsorbed oil in the bore. When I find unabsorbed oil, I mop it up with the chamois swab, and the oiling process is done. It's that simple.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-09-11 11:45
It's simple...but you do have to prevent oil from getting on closed pads. I use small pieces of aluminum foil.
Bob Draznik
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Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2011-09-11 12:08
(Disclaimer - I sell a plant derived bore oil and genuine Grenadilla oil and an oil application apparatus)
I apply oil when the wood in the bore looks grey and dull and not black and shiny. My oil application is similar to Ursa applying a thin even coat of oil. I cut little squares of waxed paper for under closed pads but only use a dampened applicator, not dripping, so there is usually never any oil to leak through tone holes. Check each part because they probably came from different trees and have different oiling needs.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
www.chedevillemp.com
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Author: William
Date: 2011-09-11 15:19
I never oil my clarinet's bores. I have no special reason 'not to' other than....I just don't. Nevertheless, none of my seven pro level clarinets--one that I have played for over 40 yrs--has shown any effects of not oiling and all remain in top playing condition. To oil, or not to oil, that remains, however, a very personal opinion for each one of us......
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2011-09-11 22:59
The most critical parts to consider are the barrel and the upper part of the top joint as this is where the hot moist breath really impinges.
As stated in post above every bit of wood is different and so is the oiling need, if it absorbs oil quickly it needs more and vice versa.
However the greatest absorption of all is in the end grain, and specifically the inside ends of the barrel sockets and the exposed end of the top joint tenon.
If nothing else you should smear a little bore oil on these parts, I find a cheap childrens paint brush ideal for treating inside the sockets.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-09-11 23:59
This has been debated often on this site. Some think you should, some don't. I never do myself and have never had a problem. If you want to oil the bore, it doesn't hurt anything as long as you cover the closed pads first and you can use an old swab. Place some oil on the swab, don't soak it though, and run it through the bore several times. I do oil my Backun bells and barrels and that's how I do that but as I said, I never do the body of the instrument. If it makes you feel better, than oil it, it won't do any harm. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Joe Bloke
Date: 2011-09-12 01:08
The following is from a sponsor's website (I'd mention the name but, when I do, the board police delete my post):
"The bore of wooden clarinets may need to be oiled. When you look through the bore while holding it up to a light it should appear shiny. If it doesn't it needs to be oiled. From a practical point of view, there is no difference between mineral and plant derived oils, except that cooking oils will turn rancid over time. Check this every couple of months. The barrel will require treatment more frequently than the other parts. If you got your wooden clarinet from us the bore will be waxed and this treatment will last a long time, often for years. Unfortunately, waxing can not be accomplished without removing the keywork. You can still wax the barrel. We use Butcher's orange floor wax."
I recently bought a new horn and the bore was very dry, causing the joints/tenons to swell as the wood absorbed moisture. A tech looked at the horn and immediately recommended a couple of treatments with "Doctors" oil. Worked great and no problem since (plus the horn sounds better to my ear).
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-09-12 01:43
I have been using the Doctor's GrenadOil since he introduced it. Works great, and there isn't a better person online to deal with than Omar Henderson.
Usual disclaimers from an uncompensated, happy customer who pays full price for his stuff from The Doctor. 
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2011-09-12 02:40
(Disclaimer - I sell plant derived bore oil, genuine Grenadilla oil, and an oiling apparatus)
I have studied and experimented a long time (perhaps 20 years) with oils and instrument wood and I believe, and can offer convincing evidence, that mineral oil (the clear stuff often sold as bore oil by even the well known instrument makers) is not good for wood in the long term. IMO replacing depleted plant oil (in Grenadilla wood) with petroleum based oil is not a good or prudent practice. Petroleum based oils will not function in the same way as Nature intended plant oils in native or harvested wood to maintain structure and water balance.
Plant derived oil mixtures with the proper emulsifiers and antioxidants (not Vitamin E) will not turn rancid (at least for 12 years that I have tested) and are better functionally as the natural oil in wood which buffers the water balance in instrument woods like Grenadilla and Cocobolo. Plant oils have special properties that allow them to bind and hold water - how else could plants survive the oil - water environment? These oils require a lot of energy to completely loose all their bound water but quickly shed excess moisture to wood pores to evaporate thereby buffering water balance in the wood. Petroleum oils do not interact with or bind water and weaken plant cell wall structure over time.
Some wood pieces are aged and well stabilized and will not loose much oil if the environment has some moisture - some will not. Even these same pieces will loose oil and moisture in a very dry and hot environment resulting in shrinkage, warping, and tone hole and bore distortion. Each piece of wood is different but as noted - dull and grey in the barrel and top joint is an indication IMO of need for oil.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
www.chedevillemp.com
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-09-12 16:11
I have a rubber clarinet, and the bore is polished. I don't oil its bore.
I have a Buffet clarinet, and use the Doctor's Grenadoil on it. Except for visible grain patterns in the bore, it looks exactly the same as the polished hard rubber.
My teacher says, "So???" I oil it anyway.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-09-12 22:31
As well as oiling the bores on clarinets that have come in for a service or overhaul while all the keys are off and the thumb and speaker tubes are removed, I also seal the end grain in sockets and ends of tenons with wax to prevent water soaking into them. Sometimes the barrels will absorb the oil very quickly, sometimes not at all - but in any case, the excess is wiped off instead of being left.
I use a recorder mop to distribute the oil evenly in the bore and a cotton bud to spread it around the socket bases. Then after the excess has been wiped I go round all the toneholes with a cotton bud to remove any excess oil that has got into them.
I also recommend the players wipe the sockets dry after playing with a piece of kitchen roll instead of their pullthrough so cork grease doesn't accumulate in toneholes.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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