 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Ehafb
Date: 2010-09-06 13:51
hi
Has anyone ever used these ultrasonic jewellery cleaners to clean oboe reeds and how did it go??
thanks
Bryan
Bryan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-06 14:18
I've only used them to clean sets of keys, but not reeds as of yet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: hautbois
Date: 2010-09-06 22:22
In theory it should help. But I tried it a number of times and did not find any benefit. Maybe my reeds did not need cleaning, and hence did not change. Or maybe the process is not beneficial to the cane fibers even if it frees them from a coating of debris.
Elizabeth
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2010-09-07 09:21
I use dental brushes by dropping the long wire end through the reed and then pulling and rotating the brush all the way through, slowly. I can do this under running water as well.
The brushes are easily portable and one lasts me months (until I bend it accidentally). I use the red x-fine cylindrical brush.
The outside of the reed is best cleaned with a very sharp knife and zero pressure.
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2010-09-08 01:07
I doubt that an ultrasonic cleaner would work well on reeds, as both they and what sticks to them (I'll leave that to the imagination) are organic; kind of like trying to scrape pine pitch (tar) off one's car. Organic things tend to bond, and I won't bore anyone with the chemistry...
The brush is better; even dipping in water before putting away might help some.
I use a small pipe cleaner and (was taught to actually) pull it all the way through, while holding the opening (or not, if the opening needs to be widened anyway). The trick here is to NEVER back the pipe cleaner up, but use a wet, soft pipe cleaner and go slowly and gently. My reeds last a long, long time.
I suppose it does matter, too what type of water one soaks reeds with; a high mineral content might also damage the cane fibers.
GoodWinds
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Author: leigthom
Date: 2010-09-08 21:10
I purchased an ultra sonic cleaner several years ago. I have found it excellent for cleaning double reeds in conjunction with a conical pipe cleaner. It seems to loosen all the rubbish the reed collects which is then removed by the pipe cleaner.
I use warm water with 2 drops of washing up liquid. It has certainly rejuvenated many reeds I had considered dead. As a bonus it also cleans all sorts of other domestic items!
Leigh
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