 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2026-07-21 02:26
I have had this clarinet for a little over a year, and I just noticed that the springs appear to be exhibiting rust. I do not see any such corrosion on my Buffet R13 clarinet or an early 1950s Buffet. I am assuming this is due to cheaper materials on a student instrument. Does this affect the longevity or performance of the springs? Has anyone else seen this on this model?
On a different matter pertaining to this instrument, the spring for the low e key has started slipping out of its position regularly, and on its own. I can see nothing to account for this and have never had this happen on any other clarinet before now.
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2026-07-21 06:54
While rust is never good, it could just be surface rust that needs a bit of silver polish to remove.
You're past the warranty period for plating issues (1 year) but if the spring is coming loose on that low E rod/key, it may have to do with that 'latch' for the spring. If it is defective, the Backun warranty of workmanship defects is 5 years. (They'd just need to swap out the key - or just send it to you / your tech to swap it out.)
However without pics, the official answer is: show it to a local tech.
Even with pics, the official answer would be: show it to a local tech.
There could be something else in the case that may be causing the issue? Or if you're in a more humid environment that may do it? (Do you have a new hard rubber mouthpiece? That can be the source of tarnish, but not sure about rust.)
The Backun Alpha is available in both nickel and silver plating. While silver is more prone to tarnish, nickel wears quicker - especially without wiping the keys off after playing.
If it were me, I'd use a metal polish (such as Flitz or MusicNomad's silver polish) to clean it up and keep an eye out on it. If it happens again, you may want a boveda pack in the case.
Just my novice thoughts.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Artist MT36 mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum black ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren Traditional #3.5 reeds
Brad Behn HR adjustable barrel
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-07-21 14:54
Rusty blued needle springs are more prone to breaking without any warning. For clarinets used in adverse conditions (eg. outdoors in all weather), I usually respring them with stainless steel spring wire and grind the tips down to a point similar to needle springs if I'm respringing a Buffet Greenline with stainless.
If the spring cradles on the keys are nicely and widely radiused, then I just leave them parallel sided but grind the tips so they're rounded off instead of leaving them all jagged after being cut to length.
If you are experiencing your blued steel springs rusting and breaking, then consider having them all replaced with high quality stainless steel springs. This will have to be done at your own expense.
The general quality of blued steel needle springs isn't what it once was as I've seen loads of clarinets and oboes from the '50s through to the '80s with far better quality needle springs (and with much sharper points) than the needle springs being supplied today. They were also much harder and more tensile than the current ones. I've even cleaned up and reused needle springs when overhauling '50s Selmer Centered Tones when the rest of the clarinet was in a less favourable condition, but the lot still scrubbed up well.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2026-07-22 00:13
Chris P wrote:
> Rusty blued needle springs are more prone to breaking without
> any warning. For clarinets used in adverse conditions (eg.
> outdoors in all weather), I usually respring them with
> stainless steel spring wire and grind the tips down to a point
> similar to needle springs if I'm respringing a Buffet Greenline
> with stainless.
>
> If the spring cradles on the keys are nicely and widely
> radiused, then I just leave them parallel sided but grind the
> tips so they're rounded off instead of leaving them all jagged
> after being cut to length.
>
> If you are experiencing your blued steel springs rusting and
> breaking, then consider having them all replaced with high
> quality stainless steel springs. This will have to be done at
> your own expense.
>
> The general quality of blued steel needle springs isn't what it
> once was as I've seen loads of clarinets and oboes from the
> '50s through to the '80s with far better quality needle springs
> (and with much sharper points) than the needle springs being
> supplied today. They were also much harder and more tensile
> than the current ones. I've even cleaned up and reused needle
> springs when overhauling '50s Selmer Centered Tones when the
> rest of the clarinet was in a less favourable condition, but
> the lot still scrubbed up well.
>
Well, that is discouraging. No breaking of springs (yet). However, should I be concerned about doing my own maintenance of the instrument, when that involves removing keys? This is just for cleaning purposes.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-07-22 01:28
You can always lightly oil them - get a cotton bud/Q-tip and put a drop of key oil on it, then wipe the needle springs with that to both clean and coat them with a very thin coating of oil which will help protect them and then go over with the dry end to even it all out and remove excess oil. Don't use too much oil as dust will stick to them or the oil will run down the pillars and get where it shouldn't get. If the springs are rusty, they'll leave rusty marks on the ends of the cotton buds. Try not to bend the needle springs in the process so you don't muck up the tension.
If you've never taken a clarinet apart before, see if you know a repairer who can show you how to and which order to remove and refit the keys and also removing and refitting them in a manner that won't alter the spring tension - especially on the closed sprung keys which need heaver spring tension to be sure they remain closed when not in use.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2026-07-22 10:34
>> Well, that is discouraging. <<
It might seem more grim than it is...
Sure they can rust and break, but statistically, springs breaking is pretty rare. Although it's true that rust can absolutely make them more likely to break, it's far more common that I see 100 years old rusty springs that are fine.
I wouldn't worry that much about it, though there's always a chance that a spring will break.
If this clarinet has rusty springs and your other clarinets don't, assuming you play them all somewhat similarly (not the same amount, but e.g. you don't play one every day and another is sitting in its case for decades), then it is more likely that the springs themselves tend to rust. Unless it's something in the case, like the case itself, or a mouthpiece you have there but not in the other cases, etc.
As long as you're careful and don't put too much, oiling them is a good idea, even if they already have rust on them.
>> On a different matter pertaining to this instrument, the spring for the low e key has started slipping out of its position regularly, and on its own. I can see nothing to account for this and have never had this happen on any other clarinet before now. <<
It could be a bad fit of the spring diameter and the cradle shape/size, or the spring might be angled wrong, so it is trying to slip out (for some reason a lot of clarinets have that spring bent downwards instead of towards the direction of the cradle).
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2026-07-22 14:54
clarnibass wrote:
> >> Well, that is discouraging. <<
>
> It might seem more grim than it is...
>
> Sure they can rust and break, but statistically, springs
> breaking is pretty rare. Although it's true that rust can
> absolutely make them more likely to break, it's far more common
> that I see 100 years old rusty springs that are fine.
> I wouldn't worry that much about it, though there's always a
> chance that a spring will break.
>
> If this clarinet has rusty springs and your other clarinets
> don't, assuming you play them all somewhat similarly (not the
> same amount, but e.g. you don't play one every day and another
> is sitting in its case for decades), then it is more likely
> that the springs themselves tend to rust. Unless it's something
> in the case, like the case itself, or a mouthpiece you have
> there but not in the other cases, etc.
>
> As long as you're careful and don't put too much, oiling them
> is a good idea, even if they already have rust on them.
>
> >> On a different matter pertaining to this instrument, the
> spring for the low e key has started slipping out of its
> position regularly, and on its own. I can see nothing to
> account for this and have never had this happen on any other
> clarinet before now. <<
>
> It could be a bad fit of the spring diameter and the cradle
> shape/size, or the spring might be angled wrong, so it is
> trying to slip out (for some reason a lot of clarinets have
> that spring bent downwards instead of towards the direction of
> the cradle).
I have been storing the Alpha in the same double case as my R13 for several months now, though I did store it in its original case previously. Same climatic conditions for all my instruments. I have been playing the Alpha and the Buffet about equally. The spring in question on the Alpha just started popping out on its own recently, while I am playing the instrument, without any contact that would cause this.
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