 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2024-09-23 23:19
I had to take my clarinet to the shop today to get a tenon cork replaced. The technician told me the glue came loose on the cork due to my use of Vandoren brand cork grease. Apparently this grease causes the contact cement to dissolve. I had heard of this problem before with cheap cork grease but I assumed that buying a cork grease packaged by a company specializing in clarinet components would mean this wouldn't be a problem.
I'm very irritated that companies like Vandoren would sell such products if it is known they damage the instrument.
The tech sold me on another type of grease made by an Argentinian company called Bambu'. Supposedly this grease is better and won't wreck my corks. I hope that is true, I haven't heard about this brand before. It was only $4 a tube so not a major investment. The packaging says its vegan so I'm assuming it is not petroleum based. I hope it does not go rancid!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-09-23 23:39
I always recommend La Tromba cork grease as it's thick and doesn't contain any petroleum derived ingredients which causes the adhesive to fail. I have several drawers full of confiscated lipstick-style cork greases and always swap them with 5g tubs of La Tromba to be sure the owner is using a far better quality cork grease that won't cause any adverse effects.
I buy a litre tub of La Tromba and decant it into small 5g tubs which I put in with services and overhauls and offer free top-ups on tubs that are half empty, figuratively speaking. The last litre tub I bought only a couple of weeks back cost £85, but it's worth every penny.
It may not be Vandoren's fault or intention to be supplying that type of cork grease as they're at the mercy of the supplier (maybe they went with the lowest bidder, who knows?), but it's still worth mentioning to prevent other people making the same mistake.
Spinning tenon corks were common on plastic Bundy clarinets and oboes as they were supplied with Selmer USA cork grease and the Selmer care kits included mineral oil as bore oil, key oil that contained petroleum distillate and an anti stick powder which I think was zinc oxide powder.
Only today I had a Yanagisawa tenor come in for a service and the owner of that has a metal tub of beeswax cork grease. I've also seen a similar German cork grease with a Ludwig Frank oboe which has the same consistency as the beeswax one, only it has a greeny-grey colour.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
