 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Willie
Date: 2002-08-03 06:54
Last night, after the the performance, the second clarinet accidently grabbed the first's new silk swab to clean up with. No problem. When she got home she just washed it with water and bleach. She forgot silk doesn't like bleach. Tonight it looked like a battle flag from Gettysburg.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-08-03 11:49
Silk makes a great swab. The women in the group are much better at knowing what to do to keep the silk in pristine condition because of their experience with silk blouses, etc. I use a special soap used by quilters for their delicate and antique quilts but Woolite used with cold water, wrung dry, then air dryed keeps the silk in good condition too. No need to use heat and bleach to kill the bugs because the surfacants will do the job well enough to kill pathogenic bacteria. A good lesson learned by the 2nd.!
The Doctor
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-08-03 17:24
That's pretty funny. I just use dish soap and water.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2002-08-04 22:56
I had mine dry-cleaned, and it came back OK. More expensive than doing it yourself, though. Still works great - don't know why they aren't more popular. And they are really hard to jam.
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Author: lala
Date: 2002-08-05 07:36
And I thought swabs are only made of cotton! Now I know what I can do with my old silk scarves.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-08-05 12:58
Yes, swabs need to be cleaned - unless you use the same towel for ever without washing it out. The swab will pick up oil and particles of wood from the bore. The design of the swab is important and tying a cord to an old silk scarf may work but actually the cut, shape, finishing, and bulk of the swab is not a minor engineering fete. Like anything else there are good and bad designs and the "class" should not be judged by a bad example. A tiny bottle of Woolite or speciality quiter's soap will last for years and the cost is a minor use and care expense.
The Doctor
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-08-05 14:29
I don't understand why the 1st felt it necessary to wash, let alone bleach, her swab after the 2nd used it. I know 2nds are a lower form of life, but are their instruments really that unclean?
Ah for the good old days, when people tried each others' instruments, mouthpieces and reeds without a care. Kissing is at least as unsanitary (particularly if it's done right), and nobody I know washes his/her mouth out with bleach after a kiss.
Whatever happened to basic knowledge about the natural functioning of the immune system? Everyone eats piles of dirt as a toddler, yet somehow survives. This is one of the more idiotic stories I've heard.
Ken Shaw (who'll try any setup, any time)
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Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-08-05 20:45
in fact, germs make you stronger, the more you are exposed to the more antibodies etc your immune system will have, right? in fact, all clarinet players should swap swabs/mouthpieces with each other all the time to help build a super race of bacteria resistant clarinet players, right?
donald
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-08-08 12:49
That reminds me, I haven't cleaned mine in over a year...YUCK!!!!!
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-08-08 15:01
donald, I think you're funny.
Silk does make a neat absorber of condensation but it doesn't do a very good job of removing "calcium" deposits or whatever that crud is. So, don't think that just running a silk through your horn is cleaning it.
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