 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Annapox
Date: 2014-05-14 19:03
When I'd been playing for about a year, I was given a clarinet care kit complete with polishing cloth, oil, brushes, and a special solution for cleaning my mouthpiece. It was strongly recommended to my mom by, well, the company that sold the kits. Over the years, I've noticed that most of the people who recommend buying a care kit are trying to sell me one. Some people say the kits can actually harm your instrument.
So my question is this: Are care kits necessary? Can I take equally good care of my clarinet using things I might find in my kitchen or bathroom? Should I simply avoid all of the more complicated "treatments," like bore/key oil? What is and is not an acceptable way to clean a mouthpiece?
In short, what is the best way to maintain a clarinet without damaging it in the long run?
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-05-14 19:15
As a photographer I am amused by the overpriced and mostly useless kits that almost every retailer pushes with every camera sold. And they are hawked with the same zeal for profit as extended warranties and car dealer "packs". And in the case of a good DSLR, you could actually do some damage to the sensor and mirror assembly with the squeeze blower often included in such a kit. Far better that you just use the camera and do nothing to it.
I'm no clarinet tech, but it sure seems to me that many (not all!) such kits for clarinet are designed and marketed in simlar manner. It is a shame that purchasers of new clarinets (parents mostly) are so often taken unfair advantage of. (Yes I ended a sentence with a preposition- sue me.)
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2014-05-14 19:42
I bought a clarinet from Kessler & Sons in Las Vegas. With it, I was given a turkey feather and the instructions to oil my clarinet once a month. Kesslers recommended I use almond oil to do so. I put 4-5 small drops at various places on the turkey feather then twirl it around on the inside of each section of my clarinet. It applies a very small amount of oil, probably about the same amount the clarinet absorbs or that is swabbed out each month. I keep the almond oil in the refrigerator to keep it from going rancid. There have been differing opinions stated on BBoard about which oil to use to oil the wooden parts of your clarinet. That was the extent of my "kit" and it seems to be working very well.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2014-05-15 16:30
As an amateur born during the Truman administration, I don't see any need to buy maintenance kits. I've put together my own kit that includes some household items and some clarinet-specific stuff. However, I think giving a basic maintenance kit (whether pro or homemade) to a beginner isn't a bad idea. IMHO the only two absolute must-haves from day one are cork grease and a pull-through swab, but the sooner beginners learn how (and when and whether) to use key oil, bore oil, spring hooks, itty-bitty screwdrivers and so forth, the better. A clarinet that's well-maintained from the get-go will last longer and play better.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-05-15 19:37
>So my question is this: Are care kits necessary?
they are mostly gimmick to get your money, but they are functional more or less
> Can I take equally good care of my clarinet using things I might find in my
> kitchen or bathroom? Should I simply avoid all of the more complicated
> "treatments," like bore/key oil? What is and is not an acceptable way to
> clean a mouthpiece?
yes! many household items can be used for clarinet maintenance. For example:
Special mouthpiece cleaning solution = household vinegar
Special key oil = gear oil or bicycle chain oil
Special polishing cloth = silver cloth
Bore oil = vegetable oil
Bore oil applicator = piece of cloth and chopstick
Brushes = Q-tips
Key oil applicator = toothpick
Etc
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2014-05-15 23:57
I sell accessories, but I refuse to sell these kits. You need a swab and cork grease.
Steve Ocone
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2014-05-16 01:37
--If you are going to oil keys, you need a light weight oil that will not get gummy. A generic reference here would be "clock oil". It is used in VERY small amounts and kept off the wood. Leave greases and such for correcting excess key noise to your tech.
--Most commercial bore oils are petroleum based. I feel vegetable oil is a better choice for wood. For many, many years I used olive oil. I have now switched to The Doctor's bore oil and, as a former almond farmer, keep almond oil in the refrigerator in the event I run short (yes, I am one of the ones who believe in oiling the bore).
--Most commercial cork grease is, also, petroleum based. I have learned from experience that non-petroleum based cork grease works better for me and increases cork life.
--I prefer nickel keys, but I do use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the keys after each use. That minimizes tarnish and the amount of polishing needed to keep my instrument looking good.
--I find that kits are made at minimal cost for maximum profit, so I have to agree with David's feelings.
If you are going to have your instrument checked by your tech each year (good idea, although some advocate more frequent bore oiling) you really only need a good swab and good cork grease. There are getting to be quite a number of sources for non-petroleum based products. While I am in no way associated with the company, I am very satisfied with The Doctor's Products.
Be sure to swab tenons and sockets carefully where end grain is exposed.
Post Edited (2014-05-16 01:47)
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