 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2006-10-15 19:51
Hey all!
So, I've lately been wanting to do a crafty project and so I was thinking about making my own swab. I found an older thread on here where someone mentioned buying new/vintage silk scarves. These scarves would make for very unique and well priced swabs (equal or cheaper than one could buy a swab).
The scarves I've seen are gorgeous and are well priced (especially since some are so big you could make 2+ swabs out of each. Some you could probably make 10 swabs out of for about $20).
Now, I have found a good amount of silk scarves and I just don't know which material is the best. Lots say 100% silk, but then in the picture they look see-through. Would these be absorbant enough? Is there a certain type of silk which would be the best?
As for a pull through string, I was going to go to the craft store and look for a thicker braided style string. Then do you all think dipping the end of the string in rubber cement would work? I don't want the end to be weighted by metal of any sort.
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2006-10-15 20:24
-- "I found an older thread on here where someone mentioned buying new/vintage silk scarves." --
Sure you're not confusing it with the oboe board?
I asked last year about a DIY silk swab. For an oboe, silk - or silk-like material is very important because it has to be thin enough to be pulled through the upper joint.
For a clarinet, why on earth would any one use silk? I vaguely remember someone once suggesting using a feather. I honestly never worked out if they were serious or just joking.
Steve
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-10-15 20:28
Buy a Gigliotti swab, or at least find someone who has one. It's silk and has the best design I've found. In particular, the cord extends several inches beyond the bottom, so that if the swab gets jammed, it's easy to pull out backward.
The standard way of cushioning the weight is to use a tube rather than a ribbon or string for the cord. Insert a weight (perhaps a small lead weight for fishing lines), sew the end of the tube shut and also sew across the tube just above the end of the weight.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2006-10-15 20:40
My friend actually just bought a Gigliotti swab. I'll ask if I can look at it tomorrow.
OK, tube sounds interesting. I'll look into that! Thanks!
Silk is used because it's harder to get stuck in the clarinet, it absorbs, and it thins out the moisture so the clarinet dries faster.
Post Edited (2006-10-15 20:43)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-10-15 20:57
Advice above is good. On back, Keith Stein in his"Art of Clarinetistry" gave directions/drawing for making a chamois cl swab, discussing the desireable "lubricating" character of that absorbent ?leather? I like mine. It may be that Pino reproduced it in one of his ICA Journal articles on K S's series. Don.
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2006-10-15 21:43
A major reason for silk is that it drops no lint.
Some (most?) silk fabric absorbs moisture rather poorly. As I understand it, that depends on the particular weave.
In my somewhat limited experience, I have been disappointed with the performance of typical silk scarf fabric.
"Doctors Products" markets a fantastic silk pull through.
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Author: David Lee
Date: 2006-10-16 01:56
I tried a chamois swab per Keith Stein's dimensions and found that it wasn't large enough ( no resistance at all on pulling though). So the thickness of the chamois is a factor. Might be best to start out larger and trim as necessary.
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2006-10-16 02:23
I'm a sinner I use old cotton handkerchiefs that have been though the wash a few times. When they get dirty I bleach them and sent them through the machine again. The 40+ year old metal weights are sometimes covered with shrink tubing, sometimes not, 40 years ago they weren't covered. For cord I use 18 gauge multiple strand nylon cord, you can get 300+ yards for 3 bucks at the hardware store. Even my Buffet Prestige bass gets the handkerchief treatment but I go to the western store and buy the "man sized" variety. BTW everything is long enough so if the cord breaks or comes loose you can pull it back out.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2006-10-16 02:55
In college our clarinet prof found a heap o' silk hankies at $2 apiece and handed them out to all of us. I tied a shoelace on to use as a pull-through. It was an athletic shoe type shoelace, and was (IIRC) lighter than the swab itself.
These hankies were very similar to the silk used in the Gem swabs available today. They were maybe a smidge softer even, with gently rolled and hemmed edges.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2006-10-16 13:16
(Disclaimer - I sell the Black "Legend" silk swab)
I applaud your efforts to investigate and research many of the common items used for use and care of our instruments. I have found that this journey often results in a better understanding of products function and a more critical approach to buying products.
Silk, IMHO, is one of the better materials to make swabs. It is the most water absorbent natural fiber and the quickest drying. Many are confused about these properties because fabrics are often treated with a finish or "sizing" that negates these properties and should be removed prior to using the fabric as a swab.
The absorbency of silk is proportional to the size and mass of the swab. The mass or thickness of silk is measured in "mm" or Momme units which corresponds to weight of the fabric per square meter. Generally the mass of scarf or handkerchief material is on the order of 4-7 mm and the thickest is Charmeuse which is 14-16 mm. The weave of the silk also affects absorbency characteristics. Silk may also have different finishes which to some extent affect the absorbency. My own experience is that lighter weight silk is not as good as heavy weight silk (mass per unit area consideration) to make swabs. Silk prices have increased almost 20% in the last 3 years because of currency factors and increased usage in various products and fashion trends.
Another factor which ruins the effectiveness of many swabs is their design. When a swab enters the bore it is compressed. The design - shape and mass of the swab dictates how much it is compressed and therefore the actual contact of the swab with the inside of the bore. Unfortunately the design of many swabs leads to uncontrolled compression and the result is that the material of the swab is pleated and only the pleat edges are in contact with the bore and the bulk of the swab material is not - called "edge effect". Therefore the design of the swab, which diminishes edge effects, determines the effective contact area and swab efficiency. The design of the swab also dictates its propensity to get hung up or stuck because of bulk size or hanging on protrusions such as the register tube in the bore.
The string or cord should be strong. For the string or cord I like a braided nylon, polyester or cotton material - much like shoe laces. The string should be tightly woven so that it does not fray from use. It should be long enough to go through the mouthpiece all the way to the bell (or vice versa per your swabbing technique) with enough length to get a good hand on at the other end (personally I never put it through the mouthpiece). Many cords are made too short. The cord should be stitched well into the body of the swab which avoids a weak junction between swab and string and also can be designed to control the compression characteristics of the swab in the bore.
The weight at the end should be properly sized and shaped to supply enough weight to use gravity to pull the string all the way through the instrument and shaped not to hang on the register tube or be able to squiggle out a tone hole. I would not use lead weights because of the lead toxicity issues even if it is sealed in rubber or plastic. If steel is used it should be properly sealed in rubber or plastic to avoid rust. Sometimes weights are enclosed in a string that is actually a tube (called rat tail cording) but my experience has been that the cording frays or frizzes after extended use at the weighted end.
L. Omar Henderson
Post Edited (2006-10-16 13:45)
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Author: Terrell
Date: 2006-10-16 22:35
Try a silk tie.
They work perfectly.
Trying to sew a cord to a hankie to pull it through will be a waste of time, the silk will most likely tear at the sewing. A tie is nice and long and thin, so you could just weight the end and you're done! They come in different thicknesses, and the seams are sewed. If you get a hankie, and it's too big, and you cut it, you're going to get a ton of runs that constantly are pulling threads off the hankie (and leaving the threads in your clarinet)
Plus you can pick up some silk ties at thrift stores for a buck. You get some radical patterns too. I have a fish tie! : )
A music store owner (and clarinet player since the early 60's) told me silk leaves the inside of a wood clarinet with a coating....some sort of sheen caused from the silk. I'm not sure why this is benificial.
Post Edited (2006-10-16 22:37)
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