 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Riverside
Date: 2020-12-29 11:13
I just bought a 1969 Selmer Series 10 clarinet. I needed to have the "crows feet" keys adjusted. Unfortunately (in my opinion) the young repairman did a full service (unrequested) and replaced most of the pads with new leather ones. Almost all of them are now sticking. I've already had one replaced with double "fish skin" and that has improved things immeasurably. It now seems (because the other leather pads are starting to stick too) that I'll need to have all the others replaced also. I've searched all over, including this forum, but have been unable to find references to this specific problem. Anybody have any helpful suggestions?
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-12-29 13:50
If you're good at removing all the keys (necessary for the next step), then I'd say use warm water with a little Dawn soap to gently wipe the surface of all the leather pads. I can't say what caused them to get tacky, but the Dawn scrub always helps me with sticky pads.
Once dry, replace back onto the horn and it should be fine.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2020-12-29 17:02
It's very important to keep sugary soft drinks away from woodwinds. The certain result is sticky pads. This may not be the cause of your problem, but it's worth knowing. I've had to "de-coke" a lot of school instruments with this problem.
Tony F.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2020-12-29 18:27
Some brands of leather pads are prone to sticking. This includes many of the leather pads I stock in my shop. Perhaps it is from the heat used to install them. I have just started to use leather pads on soprano clarinets (just on some keys) and am looking for a brand that won't stick, is air tight, and is not ultra firm. You should go back to the repair tech and have him take care of the issue.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2020-12-29 19:28
Hi Steve,
Your repair experience is far greater than mine.
However, the technician who taught me basic repair swore by a product from Ferrees which was a "pad treatment" made from/with silicone. My understanding was that it not only helped the pad to live a little longer (in his estimation), but also prevented the pads from sticking. He did warn me that (depending on the pad leather) it might discolor the leather.
Have you ever used such a product? If so - what are your thoughts about it?
Thanks,
Fuzzy
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2020-12-29 23:54
The sticky pads I get are from Ferrees. They have a shiny surface. I don't think they would absorb a treatment and any treatment on the surface might increase stickiness. But I'm not talking from experience. I can't find the product you mentioned in my Ferrees catalog and their website seems to be down.
Leather pads once were treated after installation and the leather on some brands of bassoon pads still need to be sealed. I believe the Ferrees pads are made by Music Center.
Maybe some other techs can chime in.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2020-12-30 00:18
Thanks Steve!
I bought a bottle of the stuff 15 years or so ago, and still have it (unopened). Unfortunately, it doesn't have a Ferrees number anywhere on the packaging for reference. It simply states, "Special Silicone Pad Preservative" on the front label, and has caution notes and directions on the sides. It is 4 oz and looks like it has a cotton dabber ball at the end of a wire attached to the lid.
I purchased it for saxophone pads, but then decided I didn't want to use it on the first couple saxophones I repadded...and then decided that I didn't enjoy repadding saxophones, so here it has sat.
The instructions say to seat the pads normally. Then, apply the treatment liberally and allow to dry thoroughly before playing the instrument.
The leather pads I've used on clarinets have all been white - and I wasn't sure I wanted to try the stuff on white pads.
I just tried to look it up online...in case the site is back up for you: T80-Pad Preservative
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: kdk
Date: 2020-12-30 00:43
I'm with Steve - this should be the repairman's problem, not yours. Especially if he wasn't asked to repad anything and didn't ask what kind of pads to use when he did. I'm old school enough to think that anything other than double-bladder pads on a soprano clarinet should be discussed first. Ideally, there should be a promise made to replace whatever else is used if the owner doesn't like them.
That must have been a bit of a shock when he charged you for a "full service" when you only asked to have the crow's foot adjusted (a five minute procedure).
Karl
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Author: Michael E. Shultz
Date: 2020-12-30 15:29
The T80-Pad Preservative looks just like the silicone shoe treatment I used on the pads of my Couf Saxophone when I repadded it, right down to the bottle shape and applicator. The pads were a little bit sticky after drying, but manageable on a saxophone.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2020-12-30 17:38
Thanks Michael! Sounds like Steven was right with his suspicions.
Did the stickiness stay long-term?
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: Michael E. Shultz
Date: 2020-12-31 15:28
Fuzzy wrote:
> Thanks Michael! Sounds like Steven was right with his
> suspicions.
>
> Did the stickiness stay long-term?
>
> Fuzzy
> ;^)>>>
As I recall, the pads were always a bit tacky. They feel OK now, but I have not played the horn since 1978. Maybe I should get back to it. I have nearly 15 acres, so it's not like the neighbors are going to complain.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-01-01 16:27
There's the old dollar-bill solution. You close the key and the pad pushes down the dollar bill and then you rub the dollar around a bit. It doesn't work with euros! There must be something in the ink of dollar bills that removes the stickiness.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2021-01-01 18:32
I'm not sure where I got the advice from - probably a thread on this BB - but I find acetone-free nail varnish remover (which seems to be alcohol, water, and glycerin, plus some minor additives) good for the task. Just wet some paper with it, place under the pad, close the key and drag it out. I've noticed no side effects or damage.
I have one normaly-closed pad always prone to sticking and recommend the dollar-bill approach under the pad when putting the instrument in the case.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-01-01 22:00
Chris: I see others are aware of my dollar-bill approach. I'm thinking of printing my own dollar-bills!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2021-01-02 00:15
Ruben said:
“I see others are aware of my dollar-bill approach. I'm thinking of printing my own dollar-bills!”
Brilliant, Ruben; and if you sold them, I’m sure you could find a market of clarinetists happy to pay several dollars for one.
(Edited to clarify origin of quote.)
Post Edited (2021-01-02 00:17)
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2021-01-02 02:46
Real $1 bills are probably cheaper than designing and printing fake ones .... However, it doesn't prevent them being sold for $5 to gullible customers!
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Author: Burt
Date: 2021-01-03 03:27
My saxophone teacher recommended Campho-Phenique (bought in drug stores). I've had very good results with that on my saxes.
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Author: mmichel
Date: 2021-01-09 03:30
Use naptha to clean the pads. You can even leave the keys on the instrument by using Ruben's dollar bill suggestion. Just put some naptha on the dollar bill before running it under the pads.
This is a trick used by saxophone repairmen everywhere, and it works just as well on leather clarinet pads.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-01-10 19:31
Not all leather pads are made equally - some are porous with no coating and others are made with plastic coated leather to make them both airtight and waterproof. Even then the quality is variable and some of them are better than others. The cheapest ones often have the plastic coating stick to the toneholes and the better quality ones have a more durable coating that doesn't stick as much nor peel off.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: StanD
Date: 2021-05-03 23:58
Ran into same sticky-pad syndrome on a new Uebell superior. Changed out several. Problem solved. Dollar bill remedy ok for on-the-spot remedy. Not long term. Remember the “old” talcum powder ( or baby powder) remedy? Could be a bit messy but is effective. - - if you can tote around a canister of the stuff.
Stan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-05-04 01:26
If the leather pads they've used are made from leather with a shiny plastic waterproof and airtight surface layer, then they'll stick no matter what remedies you try as you still won't be addressing the real issue that's the pads themselves. You might get a few minutes of them not sicking, then they'll only start sticking again once whatever you've done has worn off.
So-called 'fish skin' pads (which is the membrane from cow intestines and never derived from fish, unless you factor in several million years of evolution) aren't always the best pads to use as they're far more fragile than decent quality leather pads.
Better quality leather pads that are treated to be both airtight and waterproof have an even matt finish to them rather than a shiny finish. The worst leather pads I've seen used on clarinets stuck like anything and even the sticky surface layer stuck fast to the toneholes and came away from the leather to leave the pads porous.
My advice is to have them redo it with better quality leather pads that won't stick which will nip the problem in the bud, or use synthetic pads such as Valentino Masters or Pisoni Pro CLS pads.
Some of the suggestions I've read on here are futile. You're wasting your time suggesting trying out remedies which only work short term and whatever you do, DO NOT use talcum powder or any form of powder as that'll only end up getting everywhere and cause far bigger problems.
Get to the root of the problem and have decent pads fitted.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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