 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben Shaffer
Date: 2026-07-23 20:05
I am a Clarinet Player, but also play the Fife. I am actually buying an older Blackwood Fife from someone. Its got a bit of a funk smell to it, I suspect the previous Owner did not clean the Fife often. To that end I think it needs a deep cleaning. I've looked on line and see a product that looks like it may be safe and effective in cleaning the Bore of the Fife. Its called the Furniture Clinic Wood Cleaner. Has anyone use this product ? I wanted to get a bottle of the Doctors Wood Cleanser, but it does not seem to be available. But here is the other Product. https://www.ebay.com/itm/304807339527?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&it
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2026-07-23 22:17
I suspect that cleaner has abrasives in it.
Since a fife has no keys, why not just soak the fife in almond oil for a few days and swab it out? Maybe using pipe cleaners on the tone holes and bore?
Just my 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: 2026-07-24 00:04
There's no harm in immersing it in lukewarm soapy water to clean it once it's all been taken apart (your regular washing-up liquid is fine) and scrubbing the bore with a soft nylon bristle brush, cleaning the toneholes and embouchure hole with cotton buds then rinsing well, drying it out with kitchen roll and then setting it by to fully dry, then oil it with raw linseed oil both inside and out, then wiping any excess oil off so it doesn't get all sticky. If the tenon is threaded, then remove the old thread, clean up the tenon and rethread it with waxed hemp -that's the same yellow hemp used on bagpipe tenons which you can get from bagpipe suppliers or off eBay.
If you've removed the headjoint cork and it's toast, then make a new one that fits the bore well (they can be pushed out from the top end on fifes as the headjoint bores are usually parallel with conical bore flutes) and set it away from the embouchure hole centre line by the same distance as the diameter of the bore, then check and adjust the intonation by checking your 8ves, 4ths and 5ths.
If the 8ves are wide (it gets sharper as you go up), move the headjoint cork away from the embouchure hole until they're all trued up. If the 8ves are narrlw (it goes flat as you go up), then move the headjoint cork towards the embouchure hole. This also applies to flutes and piccolos and the mark on the cleaning stick is only a guide for them.
If it's got an Eb key, repad that with a leather pad if that's what's fitted. If it's a sheet metal key with a piece of leather stuck to it, then you can always make a new pad with ultrasuede with a piece of pad leather glued to it and make it the correct thickness, or use the required thickness black synthetic 'cork' MusicMedic sell - yju can use that as is or you can always glue leather to it.
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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