 The Oboe BBoard
|
Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2013-10-14 03:26
Hello. What is the recommended way to clean the wood on an old oboe?
I have an old ring system oboe for restoring. After searching the board the clarinet side had some suggestions. Lemon pledge (recommended by Laubin according to the post). Murphy's oil soap, soap and water, Doctor's brand soap, all kinds of things. Not one stood out. What about cleaning the bore?
So in an effort to not damage the vintage wood on this oboe, I want to clean it well so it will not deteriorate or dry out and crack. I haven't wrecked anything - yet.
Thank you in advance for replies.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JRC
Date: 2013-10-14 14:36
I was told not to use any product that leaves residue on the surface, such as Lemon Pledge and most of the furniture cleaning products. This made sense to me. I was also told to use something that would be absorbed by the wood and keep it moisturized. Absorption layer is typically very small, probably under mm but it will prevent soft cells of the wood from disintegrating from lack of moisture. Very old dry instrument often shows the grain of the wood when it loses the soft cells. That is what we want to prevent. Most professional techs do mot recommend oiling the outer surface as it will screw up pads. But I have oiled inside and out on old instruments I bought and leave it oiled for couple of weeks, of course after taking all pads out. It needed thorough cleaning before reinstalling the pads. So what oil to use?
I have heard many different opinions. I am not sure which one to believe. But all do not seem to disagree on using almond oil. The purer the better, the lighter the better. I also have heard use of olive oil and liquid laniolin. I used sweet almond oil. I hope that helps.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Shoko2
Date: 2014-02-25 11:04
I suggest taking the whole instrument apart. Get a sheet of paper and label every rod you take out and where it goes. Don't bend anything. Next is heat up some water and put some dish washing soap in a bowl and get an old toothbrush. Use the toothbrush to clean off all the tone holes. After letting the bore dry out for an hour or two. Take some light key oil (I used yamaha key oil light) and oil everything. Take a feather and oil the inside. After letting the wood soak the oil up for a day or so, take a clean cotton cloth and start wiping off excess oil, by this point the wood would have absorbed the oil and hopefully you have that beautiful dark grenadilla look on your instrument. Make sure you take cue tips and clean the tone holes and make sure get any extra oil off of the chimneys of the tone holes, getting oil on cork pads is never a good thing. After that, reattach the keys and you should be good to go. If you can, try to hand buff all the keys and even try to get inbetween the posts. Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JRC
Date: 2014-02-25 21:07
Wow...! I guess that could work... but I do not think I would ever do that, especially the key oil part. Neither would I consider applying synthetic light motor oil.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-02-25 16:42
DO NOT USE KEY OIL OR MOTOR OIL FOR THE JOINTS OR THE BORE!
Use a good quality vegetable based bore oil for the wood - never use mineral or petroleum derived oils.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2014-02-26 02:22
Wow thanks for the replies.
I wound up using grape seed oil mixed with vinegar to clean the worst parts, then an ultra light coat of the same to buff to a finish. Probably not correct but it sure made the wood dark again.
For the metal parts I used baking soda/hydrogen peroxide paste to get the grime off. That worked like magic.
I will use sweet almond oil next time.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2014-02-26 16:47
So, assuming this oboe is something you will play or will have control over its playing, learn a bit about the 're-breakin' process for oboes.
It has no cracks?
The break-in process helps reduce the likelihood of cracking especially in the top joint.
Basically, warm it in hands or arms before playing, then play a few minutes a day, adding a few minutes every few days for a couple months.
This is a very hard thing to do for most folks. I've done it with 3 pro oboes and have not had one crack so far.
Good luck with it.
-Craig
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2014-02-28 06:22
Craig - Sadly, the oboe has multiple cracks. None on the top joint that I remember. But on the bell and bottom joint there are several.
Thank you for the warming advice. I do practice the warming under my arm for my other oboe. Have not had to break in an oboe but that is good advice also.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2014-05-13 07:10
Anyone out there (besides Peter) love the product Woodwind All to treat the bore?
GoodWinds
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2014-05-13 10:31
At laboratory supply companies, they have glassware cleaning soft brushes which are about 1/4 inch diameter at one end and about 5/8 inch diameter at the other that are good for brushing out the bore before oiling. I've used almond oil and Pledge. Once, I made the mistake of oiling my Loree with linseed oil and the oboe essentially refused to play after reassembly until it dried out about a week later. No permanent effects!
For the mechanism, I prefer the synthetic oil from Music Medic as it allows faster action, not easily noticed on the oboe, however, but obvious on larger instruments. Years ago, I used 10W40 but that means slower action, again for the larger instruments. Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
