 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-11-01 01:29
Remove the keys, clean the pad AND the tonehole with alcohol and beef up the spring on the pad cup so it's less likely to stick.
Far too many people set the articulated C#/G# pad cup spring way too light, but it can have more tension in it that will ensure it opens the key instead of just tickles it into moving and flapping about like a bit of wet lettuce.
Same with saxes. Put some life into articulated mechanisms as they always have to work.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-11-01 14:27
Another thing you can do which will help is to carefully coat the tonehole crown with graphite from a very soft pencil - either directly but gently or coating a piece of paper with a good scribbling's worth of graphite and transfer that to the tonehole by pressing it down and shifting it around. Or get some graphite powder and apply it with a cotton bud/Q-tip. Being graphite, it will make your C#/G# pad dirty though.
You can also use Yamaha powder paper which has some sort of fine powder embedded in it, but not an excessive amount that can get everywhere like talcum powder or that zinc powder Selmer (USA) used to supply in bottles with a blue lid. Place a strip of powder paper between the pad and tonehole, close the pad and s-l-o-w-l-y draw the paper out so it will leave some powder on both the pad and tonehole.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2025-11-01 18:54
Chris,
Is there a specific reason not to use talcum powder?
I sprinkle tiny amount of talcum powder on a piece of soft cloth which I then place under the offending pad and cycle/tap the pad close/open a few times, then lift the pad and remove the cloth. Works well without creating a mess.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-11-01 20:55
I specifically tell people not to use it as chances are, they'll dust the entire instrument with it with a ton of the stuff and when that gets into the mechanism, it turns into paste when it mixes with oil (often poured on in copious amounts everywhere as well) and binds everything up solid.
In the right hands, in moderation and when used correctly it can be beneficial, but the human element is the reason why I never advocate anyone oils the bore or the keywork themselves as there's always going to be a disaster. Sometimes a little too much knowledge is a dangerous thing and I would prefer to prevent a disaster than promote one (and it's then left up to the repairer to sort out the mess at the owner's expense).
Always best to leave some things to the grown-ups to do if in any doubt - I've seen tons of DIY disasters and would prefer to prevent them in all cases. Know your limits and stick to your own lane - not all players or teachers are repairers (and not all repairers are good at their job either).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Erez Katz
Date: 2025-11-07 06:14
I took that key off - and all its siblings along that long rod today.
It was not the easiest thing to put together. the rod got a little stuck, so I gave it a good clean and a small drop of key oil on it and inside the posts, and then it went through better. At first I over-tightened it a bit so the C# pad did not snap up fully, but a little loosening and it is now really great.
I also took the opportunity to better clean the tone hole (q-tip dipped in alcohol - a lot of gunk came out).
I have a bassoonist friend that once in a while takes off the entire keywork and cleans up the whole thing. At the time it seemed odd for me, but since I live in Maine now, being self reliant is in a way part of the state ethos.
Another thing that made my life much easier is getting proper screw drivers. The stuff at Home depot is too coarse. Luckily a local store had some high quality WIHA precision screw drivers which fit the slot properly.
Any tips and advice on tools, oil and whatever comes to mind would be most obliged.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2025-11-07 06:33
Erez Katz wrote:
...
> Any tips and advice on tools, oil and whatever comes to mind
> would be most obliged.
I always put a drop of oil on the rod screws before inserting them; on pivot screws I use synthetic cork grease.
You could also get bent nose pliers - helpful when getting the rod screws out.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2025-11-07 11:25
>> At first I over-tightened it a bit so the C# pad did not snap up fully, but a little loosening and it is now really great. <<
It looks like it's a hinge tube on a rod screw, so you didn't over tighten it. Generally rod screw would break from too much force before causing any friction or binding, or at least they should.
There are various reasons why a rod screw would cause binding when tightened all the way, and this is a problem that should be repaired, though leaving the rod slightly loose and/or using a thread locker is a band aid that can work sometimes (e.g. no tools, saving cost, DIY, etc.).
Unfortunately most of the reasons are from less than great manufacturing... I recently saw that problem on a Selmer Privilege bass clarinet so it's not only cheaper instruments that suffer from it...
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