 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Johnny Galaga
Date: 2013-03-10 01:29
The last 2 cuttings I've done resulted in the middle strip of metal making a snapping sound and getting stuck on the wrong side of the frame. The first time I had to put the thing in a vice and flip the middle tongue part back to the correct side with a flathead screwdriver. It took a fair amount force to snap it back in place.
Now it's happened again, but I left it the wrong position for photo op. Is this user error on my part? How can I cut reeds and not have it keep doing this? Thanks.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-03-10 04:49
I've had this happen on several of these. The Cordier is generally pretty good, but some of the lookalikes aren't. Check the tightness of the screws holding the blade assembly to the heavy frame. If there is a gap between the blade and the frame then either the blade or the frame is bent. This is the most frequent cause of your problem. From you pic it looks as though the blade assembly is bent, but this may be distortion in the picture.
If all of these seem OK then you may have a burr on the blade tip, or possibly a spot of rust. Examine it with a magnifying glass to check if this is so. If the problem persists, try a gentle wipe of the edge of the blade with a fine stone. If you can identify the specific point on the blade that is binding, that is the only place you need to do this.
Tony F.
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2013-03-10 15:07
Ideally, you should be able to apply just enough pressure to the blade to clip the reed without the blade snapping through. It may be that a more gentle touch is needed, or it may be that this example does not cut well or evenly, and enough pressure applied to the lever to clip equals enough energy to carry the blade all the way through the opening once the reed gives way. I've seen Cordier clippers whose blades went through the opening all the time, and snapped back when the lever was released -- maybe you just need to persevere until yours wears to that point.
I prefer the Pisoni clipper to the Cordier. They're not perfect -- many of them cut unevenly -- but the tip shape is much better.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-03-10 15:10
I've had a couple of Cordiers that have done that. As long as it's cutting smoothly, just keep pushing it back through. However, I've found that snapping through is a sign that the cutter is almost worn out, and from the pictures yours looks to be on its last legs.
It's time for a new one, even though they're not cheap. Go to a music store and try several, since the curve of the tip varies from one example to the next.
Ken Shaw
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2013-03-10 15:50
Yes maybe; but some cutters do not produce a good match to the mp lip. ( Some new reeds also do not match well the mp lip.)
richard smith
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Author: Johnny Galaga
Date: 2013-03-10 19:09
It's actually very new and I've only done about 5-6 cuttings with it. The scratches are from re-snapping back into place with a flathead screwdirver.
Well, I went ahead and reset it again, and I think I've made it worse by using a vice. The knurled screw is stuck and the middle tab of metal is on the correct side now. But everytime I pull the arm/lever even with no reed, it keeps flipping back and getting
stuck on the wrong side again.
Maybe it's user error, Idunno, but I think I'm gonna have cut the loss on this one and chuck it. It worked great the first 3-4 times. Whadda shame. Maybe I'll have to try a different brand?
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-03-10 23:15
I've been able to snap the blade back by pushing on it with my thumb(s). If that's not possible, tap on it lightly with a small hammer (preferably with a plastic head) or the butt of a medium screwdriver held in your fist.
I've tried dozens of reed trimmers, and the Courdier is by far the best.
If it's nearly new, take it back to the store where you bought it and ask for a replacement.
Ken Shaw
Post Edited (2013-03-10 23:16)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2013-03-11 00:04
You should only need to apply very light pressure to the lever so that the blade barely goes past the point where it first cuts the reed.
It is also advisable to back off the reed a fraction before releasing the lever to avoid chipping the tip as the blade returns to it's resting position.
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2013-03-11 00:16
At the risk of repeating myself, my first reed clipper was a Cordier, and it snapped through from the beginning. The Pisoni clipper sitting by my DuAll was bought in 1983 and has clipped thousands of reeds. It still cuts cleanly and crisply without snapping through. In addition, it produces a smoothly curving tip like most commercial reeds, while the Cordier (at least the ones I've seen) are too flat in the middle and too rounded at the corners.
The Pisoni clippers are a little less expensive than Cordiers, or used to be. They have a plastic frame instead of metal, but I have had no problems with durability.
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