 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: nata
Date: 2015-03-06 05:34
Hello everyone!
I am playing a bad plastic clarinet right now... a bundy clarinet from the 70's, I believe.
I am just putting it out there so you would know that I have a cheap instrument.
I have noticed that recently my nickel-keys are forming spots of various color.
How would you all recommend I deal with this problem as it is impractical (and costs more than the instrument itself) to plate the keys with silver?
Another question- how do you all deal with the fact that the Ridenour clarinets have nickel-silver keys, which will eventually spot?
Thanks!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-03-06 06:08
Well, most of us have some amount of corrosive acid in our sweat. Some have MUCH more than others. Your situation sounds to be pretty mild.
First off, DON'T worry about it !!! As long as you are referring to 'discolorations,' you could just use a silver polishing cloth to take out the spots for now. DO NOT use a polishing cloth regularly, it takes off minute layers of metal (that's how it polishes) so you don't want to wear your keys faster. Just maintain by using a 100% cotton flannel cloth (popular for pajamas) to wipe your keys after EVERY time you play (at the end of the day sort of thing) to prevent finger grease from sitting on the keys overnight and causing further corrosion.
You may have some form of this problem with silver too, so just keep the cloth handy for your next horn. The only sure fire way to avoid this issue is to have the keys gold plated (not a very common thing for clarinets and certainly an expensive proposition).
As for replating, the plating itself (silver) will cost about $300 but you also have to consider the cost of a complete overhaul because all the pads and corks need to be taken off and new put on just to get to the plating. Don't do this for your Bundy, not worth it (but the Bundy IS a really good inexpensive horn.....don't knock it !!!!).
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2015-03-06 20:38
What Paul said. I've been using a Selmer Silver Polishing Cloth for to remove cloudiness and spots from nickel-plated keys, and it still works great despite 20 or so years of use.
My Ridenour clarinet is from 2010, and the nickel plating still has a mirror finish. Just wipe it clean and you'll be fine.
I also have a Bundy here in my studio, regularly serviced and in excellent playing condition. It's one of my favourite entry-level clarinets, and I quite enjoy playing it. The Bundy is one of the richer-sounding plastic clarinets that you will find, and has the added virtue of stainless steel springs, rods, and screws that will not rust. Adding cork and Valentino pads to a Bundy makes it one of the most weather-resistant and reliable clarinets you can own--after you've upgraded your main performance instrument to something else, you will want to keep your Bundy around for outdoors performances and marching. So, please,...give it some love!
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2015-03-06 21:14
On the subject of Ridenour & nickel plating, aside from being generally pleased with a new 925C BCl (2009), the finger touch areas on the finger hole covers and some nearby levers (G#,A) almost immediately began to wear through, clouding or showing the underlying plating layer(s), while other areas (e.g. RH thumb keys) show no wear so far. As soon as I realized there was wear (I couldn't believe it at first), I put a layer of clear finger nail polish on those surfaces to stop further erosion. I hope the plating on new products is better now.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2015-03-06 21:23
Occasional polishing with Brasso or other metal polish can help. Avoid getting it on the wood.
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2015-03-06 22:50
Attachment: Auszinken.jpg (113k)
"Another question- how do you all deal with the fact that the Ridenour clarinets have nickel-silver keys, which will eventually spot?"
Does Ridenour really use unplated nickel silver ("German silver")?
In my opinion that is still a preferable material, especially with older instruments. You never get in trouble with wearing off nickel or silver galvanized surfaces and can at any time clean and restore it by simple polishing- see foto of a neglected 19th century C.Kruspe clarinet, before and after.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-03-06 22:58
If you're worried about localised tarnish on the areas of most contact, then it's a common thing with nickel plated keywork and is purely cosmetic. The amount of tarnish on nickel plated keys varies from instrument to instrument as well as from player to player, so you may have two seemingly identical instruments but one has tarnished more than the other or one player may make the same instrument tarnish more than another player.
To successfully remove tarnish from nickel plate you'd have to machine polish the affected areas or the whole keys to blend the polished areas into the rest of the shiny nickel plate, but that is a messy job and can make the key corks dirty as well as the pads as well as the risk of key corks and pads being damaged or dropping off due to the heat caused y the friction of machine polishing which can only be done when the keys are removed from the instrument.
If you can live with the discolouration of the plating, then do so as it's not going to have any effect on the instrument's performance. Some instruments can tarnish up without even being handled while cased up and put out the way, so there's all manner of factors that can cause nickel plate to tarnish.
But with any instrument, always wipe the keys down after playing with a soft cotton cloth (an old t-shirt will do) to remove perspiration from the keywork and also the joint surface to keep things clean.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-03-06 23:10
I have the type of body chemistry that can eat through 2 feet of concrete in a week. Nickle wears faster for me than silver.
For more stubborn tarnished spots, try some Simichrome Polish ... you might find it at a store that deals in collectible coins. It dissolves tarnish without much abrasive action.
And don't bash your Bundy. I have one at home that plays pretty good!
And on the Ridenour clarinets, at least on my Lyrique Libertas, the base metal looks like bronze (although I am sure it's not). Tough and very hard to bend ... I don't know what the alloy is ... maybe it's the stuff launched in magnetic rail guns for anti-missile systems ...
Most clarinets have not nearly enough plating thickness, nowadays ... I wish they could just make the keys out of brushed stainless steel, with no plating.
Tom
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Author: nata
Date: 2015-03-07 03:44
Interesting comments from all of you.
Many thanks for them.
Here ia my gameplan: find a cloth (the problem is where to buy it- and advice would be greatly appreciated) that removes the tarnishing and then apply clear nail polish onto the keys.
Has anyone else used clear nail polish on their keys?
If so, how did you apply it, how does it affect the clarinet, and do you reccomend ir, in general?
(Side story- this bundy was given to me for free when I finished sixth grade band, and now, I am in high school!)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-03-14 23:16
I'm noticing some clouding on my month old Ridenour on some of the pinkie keys. I guess I'm going to try the nail polish thing. I would like to keep it looking nice, not like my old Buffet. :(
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-03-14 23:32
I read about clear nail polish (top coat) somewhere here, and started using it- works great! The biggest problem is getting the keys shiny before applying it. Later when you see tarnish it means the polish has worn through and you need to renew it.
When I got my backup clarinet I coated the keys immediately, and they still look great.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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