 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-07 23:51
This may be a really stupid question and my teacher has explained how to do this to me before but I don't remember exactly how and I don't want to do it wrong-so how do you oil the keys on your clarinet? Thank you!
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-06-08 01:50
This was recently (this past week) covered in depth by Gordon. Do a SEARCH of the last few days or simplt peruse Threads going backwards. Itrs not far off.
Best,
mw
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-08 01:54
Your question is not at all stupid, 713. In fact, I've never seen a stupid question on this board - ever. Furthermore, stupid questions don't exist. Problem questions, that's are another matter - they're usually the ones you forgot to ask 
You are correct, and to be commended, for your concern about doing it right. It's easy to 'overdo' it. Use key oil that you can obtain from most music store folks who deal in woodwinds. There are other oils you can use but using a standard one takes away the guesswork. Please, 713, DON'T use 3-in-One, it'll gum things up worse. Use any brand Key Oil, they're all good. Put a drop of oil on the end of a toothpick or something similar and touch that to the pivot points - where the key (hinge) tube touches the round top of the post (pillar, if you're British). Allow the oil to seep into the tiny gap at that point. You shouldn't need more than one or two drops. If there seems to be some excess, if it's running down the post, just wipe it of with something; napkin, paper towel, Kleenex or whatever's handy.
You only need to do this if the keys seem 'sluggish'. It doesn't take much to make them work smooth again. If they don't, you may have another problem. Usually though, a little goes a long way :]
- ron b -
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-08 05:39
From my perspective if keys are 'sluggish' it is because of jamming (i.e. high friction). A healthy pivot devoid of oil does not jam. Causes of jamming:
1. Bent pivot rod, tube, or screw.
2. Tight fit of key between posts, sometimes caused by....
3. A loose key post that has turned in the timber by the force of it's spring.
4. Rubbing against another key.
5. Pivot screws adjusted too tight.
6. Friction associated with a spring, very common for the throat A key.
7. Gummy deposits, sometimes resembling half-set varnish. This is the residue left after an unsuitable oil has evaporated. I have good reason to suspect that not all brands of key oil can be trusted not to leave residue. The residue can be from oil additives, and there are a large range of them used, especially for oils that are formulated for high pressure, high temperture, high wear, or 'hostile' environments. We do not need these additives, but our application is unusual in that for the pivot rods there are close tollerances and very high surface area for the light action demanded.
The "They're all good" statement gives mne cause for concern. Oils are definitely not born equal or suitable, and our requirements are quite specific: Noise deadening, prevention of rust, no residue, capillary action into the pivot(unless applied with the key off), no migration, and a tiny bit of lubrication to reduce wear.
It is obvious from the very low standard of cork grease (and silver cleaning cloths) being marketed that choice of product by most instrument manufacturers is far more profit driven than suitability driven.
I would be very reluctant to put my trust in just any lubricant, even if it was marketed by a clarinet manufacturer. I DO trust the Alisyn synthetic key oils (partly because I have evaporated them to confirm that there is no residue). For a thicker oil I use Castol BD68 lathe bed oil because I believe the requirements on a lathe bed are very similar to our requirements.
Because of gradual evaporation (apparently much slower with the synthetic oil) the oil film should be 'topped up' say twice per year, especially in humid climates where pivot rust is common.
Ron's last paragraph suggests he is using an oil similar to 3-in-1. The container used to acknowledge it was a cleaner/polish/lubricant. The cleaner evaporates, then the oil evaporates, leaving the gooey polish, giving the 'sluggish' feel. So the user adds more of the 'oil'. The solvent softens the goo, making the item work freely again. This cycle is repeated until there is so much goo that the solvent can no longer access it. This is not lubrication. It is progressively filling a pivot with goo. These pivots can become very difficult to remove - as bad as rust.
For application a toothpick, as Ron suggests, or use a pin head (old type), or the eye of a needle, maybe with the end broken off to make a fork. I use a glass hypodermic syringe with the needle blunted. The seal in the plastic syringes is often damaged by the oil, making the device difficult to control, although some newer lplastic ones do not have a rubber seal, and may be OK.
I don't recommend keeping the oil inside the clarinet case because if it leaks it really makes a mess.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2001-06-08 13:55
I am constantly amazed and educated by the depth of knowledge and experience of the master technical people such as Gordon and others that post on the BB. I should open a consumer reports newsletter comparing products, perhaps then I would not be spending my own money on less than worthy (worthless is a little strong!) products. I have done a cursory comparison (enought to convince me) of the key oil sold by the "big four" and found two of the four to be "simple oils - similar to light mineral oil (they must buy it by the tanker truck load and label it as bore oil or key oil by the bottle label) the other two are similar to "light machine oil" without viscosity modifiers (even like those found in multi-visosity motor oils) and without corrosion and rust inhibitors (- that I could find using sophisticated chromatography techniques). Many repair persons depend on the "old standard" clock oils (especially Nye) that leave no residue or "varnish" upon aging and evaporation. Even these clock oils have changed for the worse (my opinion) when using sperm whale oil (an amazing and beautifully complex oil created by Nature) became politically incorrect (and rightly so) - they now use a vegetable oil substitute which does not contain anti-rust or corrosion additatives or the lubricity and film bonding of the former. The new synthetic oils (not your automobile engine type) have superior characteristics for use as key oil. Many of the "aerospace lubricants" have been developed for use in the vacuum of space where evaporation of many common oils would cause failure in critical parts in the space environment and superior metal film strength is necessary. Any moisture present (in a vacuum) coats the metal and accelerates corrosion and chemical reactions. These properties of the "aerospace synthetic oils" include: viscosity stability with temperature change, no residue upon evaporation, superior anti-rust and anti-corrosion additatives that leave no residue, superior "film strength" bonding to metal surfaces, fantastic lubricity, ... and the list goes on ---. Gordon and others are right that oiling the keys is not a cure for mechanical difficulties assoicated with proper adjustment or worn parts. Over oiling is a common mistake and leads to oil running down posts to soak into the wood and (if the wrong type of oil is used) potential rotting of the wood around the posts. Even the definition of a "drop" is subjective because the volume of the drop depends on the type of oil, the viscosity, and the size of the orifice which is used to dispense the oil, etc. Alisyn oils are very good key oils, if not overpriced for the limited market. One could (and I have --) research the military specifications (all these products have MIL SPEC numbers) and performance test results for aerospace synthetic oils that have direct application as key oils for instruments and can be purchased at significant savings. When it comes to oiling, -- a little dab will do you -- and not too often!
The Doctor
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-08 21:28
Gordon and Omar -
I tried, but apparently unsuccessfully in your opinion, to convey to Clarinet713 the *basics* of key oiling - From C713's perspective, not a technician's. My attempt was to make it as concise as possible, not a treatise on the properties of space age stuff. I do NOT and advised C713 NOT to use 3-in-1. Please re-read my post if you have the inclination.
I thought Clarinet713 was asking a direct question that deserved a straightforward answer. Why complicate things?
- ron b -
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-08 21:38
To whom it may apply -
I tried, but apparently unsuccessfully in some opinions, to convey to Clarinet713 the *basics* of key oiling... from C713's perspective, not a Technician's.
My attempt was to make it as concise as possible, not a treatise on the properties of space age lubricants. I do NOT and advised C713 NOT to use 3-in-1. Please re-read my post if you have the inclination.
I *thought* Clarinet713 was asking a very good and direct question that deserved a straightforward answer. Why complicate things?
Happy hornblowin' :]
- ron b -
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-08 21:43
In my haste I posted two responses above. I don't mean to over-respond to things but - Oh, well... they both express my thoughts.
:)
- ron b -
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2001-06-09 01:59
Dear Ron -
Direct is good, and probably the best approach. It is only when old college professors in chemistry try to make things more complicated than they need to be that we turn off the younger crowd. If people are tired of my complicated approach to simple problems I should keep it to myself. We have a wide range of interests in the BB readers and possibly ???? both approaches will interest some - or others - of the readership. Thanks.
The Doctor
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-09 04:25
Thank you all for answering my question! I didn't realize this was such an in-depth question-but I'm glad that so much was written because now I understand a lot better and won't make any stupid mistakes that could damage my dear clarinet Thanks! This is such a great board!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-09 05:20
Well then the simple, summarized answer is:
Don't ask for reasons - just do it and you won't go wrong....
Purchase only Doctor's Product synthetic (sorry, I forgot that Omar sold key oil) or Alisyn synthetic oil. Twice or thrice per year apply a single drop to each location involving metal moving against metal, and on each scres slot, using toothpick, needle eye, etc, and make sure the drops are no larger than a sesame seed. If key action seems sluggish the problem is not lubrication; get the instrument serviced.
Sorry Ron, I am used to mixing and communicating with people whose minds are sufficiently active that they like to understand the WHY of what they are doing. Then they have the power of a knowledge base with which to evaluated advice and make wise decisions.
My 5 year old always wants to know "Why?".
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-06-09 12:48
Doctor, keep up the posts. The diversity we have on this board is one of the best things about it. And incidently, I'm a clarinet player for fun . . . but a chemist by profession.
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