 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: a stupid clarinetist
Date: 2001-09-30 17:27
This morning i went to practice, and like always cleaned out my clarinet with my silk swab. Even though it is supposed to not be able to get stuck, some how i managed to do just that. It is mostly out of my instrument, but is still in the upper joint. I think it got twisted around the little tube on the left hand thumb, but I am not sure. If anyone could give me some tips on how to get the swab out please help me out.
just another stupid clarinetist
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Author: Robert Gifford
Date: 2001-09-30 17:49
Take a pencil or letter opener, or something kinda strong and long and push it back through from the opposite end.
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Author: Jonathan
Date: 2001-09-30 18:09
It happened to me with an alto sax a friend lent me. I mixed up the dusters, the one for the mouthpiece and the other, which was really too big for the mouthpiece...
I didn't manage to do it alone, but my dad did.
Actually, you just have to try and try again. Little by little, it will do the job.
Have a lot of fun.
Jonathan
P.S: my pal doesn't still know for his sax ;-)
P.P.S: If you were stupid, I would be terribly vexed that it happened to me too :-)
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-09-30 18:26
If you have a pair of long needle nose pliers and can grap a hold of it you may be able to get it out. what ever works.
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-30 18:58
whatt ever you do. please endeavor NOT to scrape or damage the wood inside (the BORE).
this can WAIT until tomorrow Monday ... there is no rush to fix It today, is there?
best to be calm & gentle,
mw
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-09-30 20:07
I'm with MW;
as a fellow 'not-so-bright' clarinetist I advise against anything sharp in the bore...
it can ruin an otherwise perfectly good horn.
(I have also had the swab stuck once or forty times... it happens.)
A piece of dowel rod, with rounded ends may help but why not let an experienced tech handle the surgery (and don't watch, you don't wanna know)?
There are some nice swabs with the pulls on each end, so you can back it out.
Expect to get stuck again, and buy your next swab accordingly.
Spend the bucks this time, it can be much more costly if you scratch the horn.
anji
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Author: Bob T
Date: 2001-09-30 20:23
What you don't do, is use anything metallic. I suggest just a few drops of light bore oil or key oil and let this gently soak into the cloth, leaving it overnight as "mw" says, so you calm down. This should lubricate it and allow something gentle such as a wooden stick for cocktail sausages to gently massage the blockage down and away from the end you've pulled through. Once it's out carefully use the correct pullthrough to dry the area of oil.
To prevent this happening again, get yourself "THE DRYER SWAB" from (I would think) any woodwind retailer. I've had one now for a few years and have never been "stuck". It's essence it very simple - specially shaped to avoid jams and it has a cord attached at both ends so you can pull it back very easily. It's worth every cent. Good luck. BobT
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Author: stupid
Date: 2001-09-30 22:20
I just wanted to let all of you know that the swab has been safely removed from my clarinet. No damage was caused to the instrument, but the swab was slightly ripped. Now everything is in working order. THANK YOU!
slightly less stupid
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-10-01 00:28
So... you weren't so bad off after all Stop beating yourself up and do us all a great service by telling us how you did it. A lot of us have gotten stuck, no one's exempt. It's the nature of swabs to become uncooperative sometimes :
Your Tip of the Day, without demeaning yourself, would gain you respect and be greatly appreciated by many. You might even feel better for having contributed something worthwhile. Calling yourself stupid does just the opposite. You deserve better and we all know it.
- ron b -
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Author: stupid
Date: 2001-10-01 01:19
i just wiggled and pulled and pushed with the eraser side of a long pencil. no metal was used, and i took my time. it really only took a few minutes. i might need a new swab though!
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-10-01 01:28
I had a cotton job get caught in my upper joint swabbing last minute off stage just as I was being introduced for a solo, I managed to rip it out in the nick of time, but I don't believe I I've ever heard of a silk swab getting stuck.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-10-01 01:36
Stuck swab removers for oboes(and clarinets) are made from a brass rod with a brass screw silver soldered to the end. By screwing this long tool into the swab, while not scraping the bore, the swab can usually be pulled out by the tool. This is a common problem with oboes as the swab can get a knot in it and will stick in the small conical bore.
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2001-10-01 01:59
When it happened to me and nothing I was trying would get it out, I just took it to a tech.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-10-01 02:18
Sounds like you were stuck on the register tube. You will get stuck again with that rip in there. I would either rip it through the rest of the way or sew it up. If you sew it then think about adding a tail to pull it back out when it happens again in a few years.
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Author: Carmen Izzo
Date: 2001-10-01 03:40
In the fifth grade i got a highlighter stuck in the plastic bundy i owned. Funny stuff.
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Author: John Gould
Date: 2001-10-02 23:31
Also, when you go to swab out the horn, get into the habit of pulling it through slowly and gently. Then any resistance you encounter can be addressed a lot easier. We would sometimes just add about 2 tblsp of H20 on top of the swab, let it soak for 5 minutes then try to pull it thru, but by far the best way was to go slowly, and use a well-designed swab. good luck.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-10-03 14:46
One precautionary measure should be followed no matter what shape or material the swab is. Simply make sure that it isn't wadded up or balled up before you pull it through the instrument. Smmoth out the swab before you start so that it is straight and smooth.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-17 16:50
<img src: "http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/images/soupnaz4.gif">
<img src: "http://www.comedyontap.com/features/images/larrythomas/soupnazi.jpg">
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-17 16:51
<img src= "http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/images/soupnaz4.gif">
<img src= "http://www.comedyontap.com/features/images/larrythomas/soupnazi.jpg">
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