Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-10-01 09:58
QUICK ANSWER, I will avoid getting deep into this subject, such as additives to rubber to make rubber really hard or really soft, rubber that can stretch or break with the slightest touch.
Natural rubber is made from the sap of a tree, and synthetic rubber is created from chemicals found in petroleum - oil. Rubber trees first originated in South America, and the sap is called latex. The latex oozes from the bark of the rubber tree. Since I make mouthpieces I've studied this is great detail since the 1970's.
Mouthpieces are synthetic. So putting oil (petroleum based oil compounds) can mess up your mouthpiece. It can warp it, such as the rails, make the rubber, plastic, mouthpiece less hard, and lastly adding oil could leach out toxic petroleum based chemicals from your mouthpiece. HIGHLY unlikely, but it could happen.
Soap and mild warm water, 85 degrees or less, is the best way to clean your mouthpieces. Don't jam your clarinet swab through the mouthpiece to dry it. This will surely warp the rails over time. My dear friend Mitchell Lurie never used anything to dry his mouthpiece. He left it out to air dry. This is probably the very best way to take care of drying a mouthpiece.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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