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Re: Reeds: Sanding the flat side.

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2015-12-13 21:26

Philip Caron wrote:

> ... I reasoned that there is probably different densities of
> longitudinal fibers in the typical reed (and they are visible
> held up to light, despite uniformity being wanted), and so
> denser regions would take longer to absorb and release moisture
> than less dense regions.
>

I think you have the right basic explanation for tip crinkle. But an actual longitudinal warp doesn't straighten out when you re-wet the reed. Hence all the different back-sanding and straightening techniques.

> I decided that holding the reed against a hard flat surface
> while drying probably forces fibers out of alignment, at least
> until next wetting.

From my limited experience with hobby carpentry and home building projects, I don't think you can "force" wood to do much of anything without quite extreme amounts of pressure nor can you prevent wood from changing if natural forces are leading it to change. IMO, the pressure put on reeds to hold them down by the flat glass holders I've seen doesn't come close to what it would take to stop a reed from warping or at least springing to the warped shape it "wants" to make when you remove the pressure. Again, IMO (others will argue differently) the best way to keep a reed from warping is not to create the conditions that encourage it to.

> Anyway, I stopped using the reed holder to dry the reeds. When
> I'm done playing, I wash them (I'm a washer) and lay them
> backside down on a paper tissue to dry. No force.

I think it works even better to dry them flat side up. The exposed cane in the vamp is still exposed to air because of its taper. The bark area is sealed in any case and doesn't allow much drying no matter which way the reed lies, but you still allow drying from both surfaces. Lying flat-side- backside?)-down even on a paper tissue (which is itself lying on something else more substantial) tends, I think (opinion - only anecdotal evidence, nothing scientific), still to limit or at least retard bottom-side drying.

> To my mind
> this lets the drying proceed "naturally". I note that on next
> use, there's to my perception less tip warping than when I used
> the flat back holder.
>
> This may all be delusional.
>

We all live with and act on our delusions every day. If it's a delusion, it's not a destructive one.

Karl

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Reeds: Sanding the flat side. new

knotty

2015-12-08 21:49