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Re: Oxidized hard rubber

Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2014-05-30 21:48

I respect Tom's great knowledge and experience with clarinets in general and with his hard rubber clarinets.

I have never heard of the process that he outlines but it sounds like it works for his clarinets. When we say "hard rubber" it is a family not a single species. The hard rubber produced in the last 70 years has constantly evolved with different amounts and types of accelerators and stabilizers in the vulcanization process. In this evolution the amount of sulfur used has been greatly reduced and the qualities of the rubber enhanced in durability, and oxidation reduction.

I have not seen an old mouthpiece turn white or fade so much in the depth of color but I have seen dozens of tan, brown, and olive green mouthpieces and even older hard rubber clarinets. I have a fine "A" clarinet in olive green myself.

The types of oxidation that cause the browns and greens comes from excess sulfur used as catalyst in making the older rubber migrates to the surface as the surface rubber begins to oxidize, break bonding patterns, or from exposure to sunlight or heat. This sulfur combines with chemicals in the air to produce very stable colored sulfur compounds. These compounds are very tough to remove or change back to a stable black sulfur compound and requires some toxic chemicals and experience to make it work.

I have gotten a number of requests to work on mouthpieces, clarinets, rubber fountain pen barrels (some of the best ones are made of hard rubber for its tactile feel), and even old bowling balls. I have done some but it is an expensive and not a DIY process and most customers opt to keep their products in hues of brown and green. Function wins out over beauty!

The brown and green sulfur compounds can be buffed off but this removes some material. I have never tried staining as Tom suggests, I will but, I would suspect that it would not be as successful on the old types of rubber from the 30's - 50's as on newer forms of hard rubber. In the older examples you have actual oxidation of the rubber in addition to forming colored sulfur compounds but as a scientist I would never say never to trying a new technique.

L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
www.chedevillemp.com

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Oxidized hard rubber new

EuGeneSee

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