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Re: Valentino Synthetic Cork Pads

Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-01-23 21:49

The white 'greenback' Valentinos are airtight, but the brown fake cork ones are dire - I padded an oboe using them almost throughout (from the trills down to the low C# cup) and I couldn't get any suction on either top or bottom joints, even though the pads felt like they were sealing (using a feeler gauge) and testing on the meter which puts air under pressure into the joints also showed the joints were leaking.

Why not get a 9.5mm cork pad and trim it to the right depth (after smoothing and levelling out the face which is to be seated against the tonehole)? Cork pads are usually much thicker than needed, so you can trim them to any thickness (or shape) you like.

I usually shape the back of the cork pad so it's a cone (or dome) shape to fit inside the pad cup, then you don't need too much shellac inside the pad cup. Shape tha back with some coarse abrasive and test it between the tonehole and the clean pad cup to see if it's the right thickness - there should be an even amount of pad showing all around the pad cup when the pad is installed.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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