 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: M_Chavez
Date: 2018-11-20 02:27
Hi All,
Just as I am about to finish overhauling my first vintage Bb clarinet, I came across a small German clarinet for sale: Henkel Brothers, Dresden; Albert system, ebony (?).
The clarinet is in C and appears to be LP.
Needless to say, I've decided to adopt this beastie.
A few questions:
1) The clarinet bell has two longitudinal cracks with gaps of about 0.5mm. What's the procedure for crack repair? Fill and sand/polish? Force-clamp and glue? I would be grateful for your advice.
2) Is there any use for a C clarinet?
3) Would anyone be able to share any history of Gebr. Henkel?
Thank you.
PS it's not just clarinets that I repair, and I just really enjoy fiddling with old instruments.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-11-20 03:01
If it has a bell ring and that's not spinning around and the socket ring is also a good fit (or can be made to fit), then you should be able to glue up the cracks with superglue and wood dust and that should be enough.
If it needs further support (which it may in the area by the socket) then that can be carbon fibre banded to add further strength and filled in (with superglue and wood dust) to make the repair less conspicuous.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: M_Chavez
Date: 2018-11-20 04:06
Thank you very much.
The rings are a good fit and the cracks stop half an inch before the tenon. CA+ebony dust it is then.
Am I right to think that it is better off being oiled first (oil+spirit mixed 2-1, shaken, not stirred, multiple thin applications) to let the bell expand a little?
Any info on the manufacturer would be an interesting read.
The bell reads:
C
Gebr. Henkel
DRESDEN
Germany
"Germany" is in English, so must have been a UK import?
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Author: M_Chavez
Date: 2018-11-20 04:31
And a follow up question:
What are the common thread sizes on old european clarinet rods? The Henkel has 1.92mm OD threads and my Bb stencil (Hawkes & Co / Hawkes & Son suspect) has 1.7mm OD threads. Both have got one broken rod each - still possible to use them, but I'd rather thread new ones.
Thank you.
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2018-11-20 04:45
I bought a good quality set of thread gauges a while back, and they have been invaluable, although they have not helped me find threading dies.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-11-20 20:01
If you oil the bell prior to doing crack repair, you'll contaminate the crack with oil so the superglue won't adhere to it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: AndyW
Date: 2018-11-21 18:17
"Gebr" is short for "Gebrüder" meaning "Brothers".
It seems unlikely that it is related to Heckel GmbH-
they are 500 miles across Germany in Wiesbaden.
-A-
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2018-11-21 19:31
Attachment: Gewinde Kruspe.jpg (188k)
In New Langwill amongst the renowned Heckel family there appear two at Dresden although none as „Gebrüder“ or marked as „WW“- makers.
To my knowledge at least since 1918 in Germany threadings were made under DIN rules. Before that, varios measures were used. I have, some time ago, tried as best I could, comparing some older threadings with DIN- see photo. Perhaps that might be helpful for you. Anyhow: If you could verify the age of the C-clarinet as post- 1918, you could be rather sure it's DIN.
Here in Germany, threading tools in DIN or other systems, would be obtainable, for example, from: https://www.gewindebohrer-shop.de/?gclid=CLPDzo2TrJUCFQpatAodHHAuXg .
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-11-22 03:49
Henkel and Heckel aren't even related by name, so that's leading up a blind alley.
As for B&H threads, I've used the 2.2mm B&H clarinet screws when replacing MkVI crook key rod screws which have excessive wear (as that's easier than trying to swage the crook key saddles) and the threads on them fit the M2x0.4 internal threads in both Selmer crook keys and also on clarinets which have M2x0.4 pillar threads with no problem.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: M_Chavez
Date: 2018-11-22 04:50
Thank you very much.
Chris - the crack has got to be cleaned anyway, so I am guessing I'll need to clean it with some alcohol. That should in theory push all the oils away from the surface and prep it for gluing (think gluing cocobolo and other oily woods)?
I'll try to figure out the threads - worst case scenario would be tapping the pillars for a slightly bigger thread?
The clarinet's serial number is 19076. I'll take a guess that is 1907, #6 as I cannot imagine a small, little known manufacturer at the start of 1900s running into 19k instruments ... but that's just a daft guess. It's a pity there's no info on the makers - it would be nice to know their story.
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