 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: atl4413
Date: 2004-03-01 14:37
Do these work? Do they really made a difference? If used regularly, how much longer will the pads last?
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-03-01 18:25
Pad savers work very well, by absorbing mositure, IF you keep them CLEAN. Most music store assistants will not tell you this when you purchase a pad saver, most likely because they don't know. As pad savers collect (even a little) dirt, oil, and other deposits, they become less and less efficient at picking up moisture. Wash them every month or so in warm water and some dish soap (Dawn, Joy, etc.), then rinse well and dry thoroughly. You can use a blow dryer if you like.
If you can see little streaks of moisture in the bore after running a pad saver in and out of it, it's time to give your pad saver a bath 
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-03-01 18:32
In addition to what ron b says, don't leave the wet pad saver(s) in the clarinet after you run them through the bore. Also, pad savers have a tendency to shed lint....not a good thing. On balance, I think the use of pad savers should be discouraged. It's better to use a silk swab (such as the Doctor's). It does the drying job without shedding lint.
Henry
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-03-01 19:07
Pad savers (pad destroyers??) are the equivalent of keeping a wet rag in the bore of your instrument. I seriously doubt that they even make contact with the pads.
Over time the lint from the pad saver sheds into the bore and tone holes.
Kept in the bore for extended periods inhibits air circulation, which can cause moldy pads and a most unpleasant aroma in your case.
Whenever a new student shows up for a lesson with a Pad Saver that mom bought, I immediately suggest that it be returned for either a quality swab (silk is preferred) or a box of reeds.
A better use for them is to put it by a drafty door or window to stop the air from coming in the room...GBK
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-03-01 19:48
Actually, despite what the venerable (love that word!) GBK sez, the pad-savers can be useful if used as a swab, viz: use them following play to dry out the bore, then put them away (but NOT inside the clarinet bore), and do wash them occasionally. Used thusly, they seem to remove moisture better than the traditional pull-through swab. Usual caveats apply: your mileage may vary, void where prohibited, manufacturer takes no responsibility, ask your doctor for a prescription, demonstration only using professional drivers on a closed course, etc. etc. ad nauseum.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-01 19:53
I too wouldn't trust them in my clarinet's bore fulltime.
However, I would think that they would be very good for drying out a mouthpiece. You don't have to worry about pads, you can SEE if any lint is developing, and I think they're soft enough so that they wouldn't do any real damage to the chamber or facing.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-03-01 20:06
You can indeed use them to clean out mouthpieces as Alexi suggests, BUT be aware that the ends of these swabs are sharp twisted metal wire, and if the little vinyl endcaps fall off the ends of the wire (as they inevitably will), the mouthpiece baffle will get scratched. Ask me how I know......
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-01 20:11
lol. So, how do you know?![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
Yeah. I figure it's similar to cleaning out your mouthpiece with a giant pipe cleaner. yes, the sides are soft and comfy, but there's a tip. Made of wire. And the mouthpiece curves to an almost right angle opening so you have to be very careful.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-03-01 20:12
David Spiegelthal wrote:
> BUT be aware that the ends of these swabs are sharp
> twisted metal wire, and if the little vinyl endcaps fall off ....
- and yet another reason to never put a pad saver inside any part of your clarinet.
I have a few students who know all too well ...GBK
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-03-01 21:13
Margaret,
A controversial topic...
I have always used padsavers, but only after swabbing and drying the joints so that the bore is completely dry. I theorize that the padsavers wick out the small amount of remaining moisture from inside the tone holes where swabs can't reach, especially if they are moved back and forth a little after insertion. While they can't reach the pads, they don't need to to be effective.
I bought my clarinet new in 1988 and it has needed only five new pads since then. My tenor sax hasn't needed a single new pad since 1991 and the first set lasted from new in 1972 or 73 to 1991. My alto sax (new in 1995) has never needed to have a pad replaced. Q.E.D.
If you remove a padsaver and it is very wet, then the clarinet was not adequately swabbed before insertion of the padsaver.
The bottom line, IMO... they are effective but they are not a substitute for normal care, which is, I suspect, the cause of problems. As David Spiegelthal pointed out, be sure the vinyl end caps are securely attached.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-03-01 21:18
uhh... sorry -- didn't Emphasize that -- "...If you can see little streaks of moisture in the bore AFTER RUNNING A PAD SAVER IN AND OUT OF IT, (it works good)...".
I do not advocate leaving ANYTHING in the bore for longer than it takes to swab the thing OR, for that matter - leaving a wet swab in your case. Tie your swab to the case handle... so it's always Outside
Another plus is that Pad Savers are much LESS likely to get wedged between the register tube and bore wall than is a chamois swab.
Since the topic is Pad Saver I didn't mention above that my own perference is what GBK recommends, SILK.
- ron b -
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-03-02 00:38
I agree that keeping a damp pull-through inside the case invites rusting of springs and pads going mouldy.
I totally disagree that pad savers, after swabbing, can wick out remaining moisture in tone holes. The fibres don't go anywhere near the inside of tone holes, let alone be firm enough against the wall of a tone hole to have any wicking effect. The tone holes would dry faster if there were more air circulation, i.e. with out the obstruction of a pad saver.
I also disagree about any dropped lint being visible. The most likely place for lint to collect is the stickiest surface, nearest to the place where the fibres are rubbed off.
Th fibres are rubbed off at the thumb and register vent, but also at the edge at the bottom of every tone hole. The adjacent 'sticky area is the still-damp area at the lower end of tone hole chimneys. The player cannot easily see this area.
Most clarinets have undercut tone holes, in which case the fibres are deposited in the area of the undercutting, which is very difficult to see, even down ring-key tone holes. It is also particularly difficult for a technician to clean this area, especially when the fibres combine with saliva deposits to make a material with the strength of a fibre-reinforced stalactite!
This highlights the importance of using a lint-free method of swabbing. Silk.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-03-02 15:41
It is not necessary or even advisable to remove every trace of moisture from the bore of the horn after playing.....according to some. "Padsavers", those huge pipe cleaners, are useful as one tool for moisture control....but probably should not be left in the bore of wood or plastic(or metal) clarinets...IMO. Silk handkerchief style swabs are good. Personally my swab of choice is homemade: a small triangular piece of automotive chamois, nylong string attached and a chamois covered "fishing sinker" lead weight at the end. Many can be made for the same cost as a silk one but they impress no one.
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Author: atl4413
Date: 2004-03-03 15:04
Thanks for the many posts; my sides hurt from laughing. I love this board.
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Author: cujo
Date: 2004-03-03 16:36
Silk, chamois, or felt-like usual swabs are good. Pads savers leave small bits of lint even with just swabbing. Felt-like swabs have much smaller fibers and may leave much less lint. The best would be silk or chamois.
BobDs chamois making idea is very nice, just use a small enough piece so it wont get stuck in the bore. Make an extra for oiling.
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-03-03 17:26
An old silk tie, especially a wide one from the 70's, might make a good swab (colorful too). Has anyone tried it?
Hans
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-03-03 20:03
Larry Naylor, a repairman and board sponsor, says that Pad Savers are pad destroyers that will also ruin the finish of the bore. Go to http://www.naylors-woodwind-repair.com/, then Publications, then the first article, and go down to the section "Physical indicators of Deterioration."
Stay away from them.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: cujo
Date: 2004-03-03 20:31
You mean leaving a damp stick full of linty cloth inside the bore of a $2000 instrument is bad?
Post Edited (2004-03-03 20:32)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-03-03 20:40
Not as bad as when you add saliva enzymes and chemicals which are designed to break down animal products - I am thinking of felt, leather, and 'goldbeater skin'.
Post Edited (2004-03-03 20:41)
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