 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2014-08-03 17:21
I suggest swabbing wood bores with a thin coating of walnut oil. thin coat will dry in 24 hours; give it that time. How often? Maybe once a year or so. I have used walnut oil for wooden food bowls, for many years, but have not played on wood instruments for 20 years and thus, I hasten to add, no experience with clarinets.
richard smith
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2014-08-03 18:16
When I bought my clarinet from Kessler Bros. out of Las Vegas, they included a 12" turkey feather with my purchase and a set of instructions for oiling the bore! I put about 6 drops of almond oil near the shaft of the feather and rotate it around the bore at both joint openings for each of the pieces. I do this once a month. I also do the once-a-year "deep" oiling by a professional. I like the walnut oil suggestion...that's what I use on my cutting boards. Thanks for the information.
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-08-03 21:12
We have to remember that these oils are organic and will in time become rancid. It is for this reason that inorganic oils may be preferable in clarinet bores; plain mineral oil is a good one - no odor, doesn't become gamy, and performs the same job.
(I promised I would never again use the expression, 'case closed' hereabouts for it seems to make people think I'm a "know-it-all", and I admit, although it is not intended to, it sounds that way. It is just a way to add a little rhythm to otherwise clumsy writing. Forgive me KDK - I'm just a poor schtumpf trying to properly express myself. Crappy locution choices are an occupational hazard.)
bruno>
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-08-03 21:37
Ok, Bruno- your last paragraph makes me tell a story from about 40 yr ago, nothing to do with oil or even clarinets.
My Dad was a construction electrician on commercial buildings in the Houston area until he retired in 1977... a much harder working man than I've ever been or ever will be. One day he came home chuckling and told this story.
2 HVAC guys were working near him, installing ductwork. You know how that stuff is, never sized or aligned correctly, the only way to fit it is to beat on it and force it, noisy and frustrating work. And these guys cussed at each other all day, you #*&# you made my end pop out and such. Just at the end of the day one of the guys hurled a particularly nasty insult, and the other just quietly said, "I don't let anybody talk like that to me...". And my Dad thought he was about to witness a homicide or at least a terrible fight. But these 2 guys headed home (or more likely to a bar) laughing and joking with each other. Apparently it was all just a big show for their own and others' entertainment through the work day.
So... when I came on BBoard and began seeing a few isolated jabs, I figured they were probably in the same spirit as those 2 HVAC guys. I can hope so, anyway.
And I have no idea what oil to use. Go hard rubber and avoid the issue.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2014-08-04 00:00
thanks for the tip about rancid oils. Do not use liquid rancid walnut oil. If not rancid, it will not turn rancid when dry on the wood bowls, etc. We have used it for 30 years on our wood bowls used for serving foods of various kinds with no problem.
richard smith
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-08-04 01:32
I'm not sure about walnut or almond (I've heard they have a shelf life), but I have had a bottle of orange oil that is quite a few years old now (going on ten?) and has no problems with being viable.
...........Paul Aviles
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-08-04 01:44
I've read somewhere that the tannines in the wood prevent absorbed oil from getting rancid.
Never had any such problems with oiled wood, and I've been using olive oil for my kitchem utensils.
--
Ben
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2014-08-04 01:46
I don't know if walnut oil is a "drying" oil or not but one should not use drying oil on instrument bores as in the act of drying (hardening) they are effectively changing the bore dimensions.
Almond oil is non drying and has been used successfully on instruments over many years and there are a few (very few) commercial oils that are suitable - look at the Doctor's products for example.
None of these oils are going to be around in the bores for long enough to ever have a chance to go rancid. Hasn't happened to me in over 50 years use.
Mineral oils should NOT be used on instrument bores.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2014-08-04 01:48
Doctor's Products - 'Bore Doctor' - doctorsprod.com
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2014-08-04 16:06
I believe that walnut oil is semi-hardening (or "drying"). It does polymerize but doesn't get hard.
Steve Ocone
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Author: BobD
Date: 2014-08-04 18:23
And....I would not use Linseed oil in any form.......
Bob Draznik
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-08-07 22:37
I use a steel bristle brush to initially clean the bore then sand it down with 180 grit abrasive glued to a steel rod which is spun with a power drill at high speed to smooth it out. You get a better finish using high speed compared to low speeds.
Don't worry about the speaker tube and thumb tube as they're only cosmetic so you can easily smash them out the way by ramming them firmly with the sawn off end of the steel rod to gain better access to the entire bore.
The best bore oil to use is engine oil which you can get from your local garage, so submerge the entire clarinet in it and leave it there for around two days to absorb the oil best.
You don't need to remove the keys as the screws will also be oiled in the same process. Then wash it in hot water and plenty of detergent to remove excess oil and dry it with a hot air gun or in a hot oven for around four hours.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2014-08-07 23:57
I've always maintained that there's not much that can't be cured with a few sticks of dynamite.
This technique works especially well with recalcitrant clarinets and on moving day.
B.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2014-08-08 01:41
Ha, Chris, that outa teach that clarinet a lesson to behave.........
Bob Draznik
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