 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2008-03-02 20:10
The wood on the barrel of my R-13 is looking sort of dull and I was wondering if something like one of these would be what I would need to polish up the wood of the clarinet.
Also, what is the best to restore shine and polish the key work (nickel)?
Woodwind Wax
http://www.wwbw.com/The-Doctors-Products-Woodwind-Wax-i233268.music
Bore Doctor
http://www.wwbw.com/The-Doctors-Products-Bore-Doctor-Professional-Wood-Preservative-i233291.music
Wood Cleaner
http://www.wwbw.com/The-Doctors-Products-DA-6-Wood-Cleaner-i233267.music
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-03-02 21:22
"Also, what is the best to restore shine and polish the key work (nickel)?"
Buffing, but only at a time when it is OK to destroy all soft materials - pads and key corks. Most nickel tarnish does not come off easily.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2008-03-02 21:49
How to maintain the wood on the clarinet exterior is another controversial subject.
For the bell and barrel I have used two different products:
1. Renaissance wax and
2. Carnauba wax commonly available as "Butchers Wax"
I do believe Doctors Products has a wax that is probably similar to No. 1
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-03-03 01:00
I like Butcher's "Bowling Alley Wax". It's carnauba in a turpentine base, does a nice job cleaning the wood as well as putting a durable polished finish on it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-03-03 10:28
I, too use carnauba wax, but melt it from the solid, onto/into the surface with a cup bristle brush rotating at 20000 rpm to generate warmth.
The "Woodwind" wax, I believe, is based on either carnauba or museum ("rennaisance") wax
I suspect you could get a pretty good finish even just using Doctors Products grenad oil. It would probably take only a few drops for the entire exterior of the clarinet.
http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=59
I have used Bore Doctor before my carnauba, with good results.
http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=12
Post Edited (2008-03-03 21:24)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-03-03 11:51
If the wood looks like it lost the colour then bore oil from the Dcotor would possibly work. Grenadoil should work too (for some reason that sounds like a dinosour or some pre historic animal name to me).
I've tried the woodwind wax from Doctor. It does something, but I'm not sure what really. It makes the wood smoother but not really shiny. Kind of hard to explain. I've only tried it on a clarinet right after oiling it so the oil already made it shiny.
Bore Doctor is good. It definitely looks like it brings the shiny wood colour back for example after it is washed. I've tried the Dcotor wood cleaner too. It works fine, but not better than soap.
Edit: I just tried the wax on my clarinet barrel. My clarinet is about four years old and was never cleaned or oiled. Barely ever was wiped with cloth even. It's still very shiny though. I compared it with my other barrel which is identical except I didn't use the wax on it. Unless you looked very close and compared the two you wouldn't notice any difference. Without knowing, I doubt anyone would notice anything. But the wood was already shiny, on an older duller wood I would clean and oil.
Post Edited (2008-03-03 12:08)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2008-03-03 12:41
(Disclaimer - I am maker of a wood cleaner, importer of a museum quality synthetic wax, and maker of Bore Doctor and Grenad-Oil)
Other than appearance, the rationale for cleaning the wood is to clean off the gunk that forms form the natural oil in the wood combining with dust and pollutants in the air which clogs the pores in the wood that allow transpiration (inflow and efflux) of water from the wood. This gunk dulls the wood too. IMO it is healthy for wood to "breathe" and be able to adapt to environmental moisture conditions by taking in and giving off excess moisture which happens through the natural pores and channels in the wood if they are not clogged with gunk.
As in past postings on the BB some think that the wood, especially in the bore, should be completely sealed to prevent excess water entering the wood. This idea may work if you can completely seal and maintain a seal on the wood but areas that are not completely sealed or where the sealant has worn off over time will allow localized water influx into the wood and potential large and uneven water swelling in the wood in the unsealed area. IMO it is better to maintain good oil content in the wood which will buffer water entry and allow the wood to equalize and normalize water content throughout the wood by natural transpiration.
The idea behind a specialty wood cleaner, and some use a product like Murphy's Oil Soap for wood, is to clean the accumulated gunk but not suck too much natural oil out of the wood in the process. Once clean an application of a quality oil to the wood and/or a quality wax will bring back the shine, depth of color and grain of the wood.
Some specialty waxes, like the Renaissance Wax developed by the British Museum for their wood and metal artifacts, are synthetic and form overlapping plates of wax, not a solid wax layer, which allow some moisture transfer - akin to Gore-Tex fabrics. Some of these waxes also have the advantages of not showing finger prints and show the depth of color and grain of the natural wood without a bright shiny surface. Carnauba waxes come from plants and form a hard, shiny, water impermeable surface but often have petroleum vehicles (dispersing and evaporative function). IMO petroleum products should not be used on Grenadilla wood or cork.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2008-03-04 18:14
Couldn't tell you what is best for the clarinet, but I use wax at work. In my experience renaissance wax (microcrystalline wax in white spirit) is softer and has a lower melting point than carnauba wax. Carnauba wax would be the more brittle of the two.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-03-04 21:15
I find pure beeswax sticky and smeary.
Some so-called beeswax has other ingredients, which may include carnauba, especially in the hobby wood-turning area.
Likewise I have encountered so-called carnauba wax that is sticky because of undisclosed beeswax.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2008-03-05 13:59
It should be noted that application of wax with the keys installed may lead to mechanical problems. Wax is a liquid when warm, and will travel into the smallest passages by capillary action.
If you intend to polish your clarinet, be advised that some are stained to appear darker. Application of wax may remove the stain in the process.
Lastly, a little goes a LONG way.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
