 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2002-05-21 01:34
Is it OK to run a silk swab through a mouthpiece? Is any harm done?
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Author: corey
Date: 2002-05-21 02:59
I've been told it isn't safe to run any swab through a mouthpiece.
-- Corey
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-05-21 03:10
I've been operating under the assumption that any swab and a mouthpiece together is a bad idea for 20 years now. I use Q-tips to clean out the gunk. The reasoning behind this, as I was given, is that any "abrasion," silk or not, will erode the inner edges of the rails over time.
Either way, do clean your mouthpiece! 
Katrina
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-05-21 11:00
Robert Fontaine who taught me in Paris said never run a swab through a mouthpiece, instead clean it with tissues or kleenex by bunching them up...the fear of damaging the bore work is greatly reduced once you stop this...the other problem is chipping the window with the metal weight on the swab. The tip area of the mouthpiece is very prone to damage and chipping and this can cause harmonics to be activated that one does not want...
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-05-21 13:26
In my opinion the fear of swabbing a mouthpiece is because of the prevalence of the use of the twisted wire type mouthpieces both soft and bristle types. Both are probably inappropriate for expensive mouthpieces today but were popular some years ago when mouthpieces were cheaper. Personally I see no danger in using a silk handkerchief type swab, but I wouldn't recommend the cotton type. I doubt that abrasion by silk would wear away mouthpiece material in a lifetime. My personal preference is to leave the clarinet completely assembled sans reed and ligature and run the silk swab through the complete horn from mouthpiece to bell. This keeps the silk free of cork grease. Then disassemble and wipe the female joints with disposable "kleenex" tissues. The mouthpiece should then be cleaned with soapy water separately and periodically.
Harsh bristle swab cleaning of most "original equipment" mouthpieces might actually be a good idea as it would hasten purchasing a good one.
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