 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: michal
Date: 2007-04-29 15:54
Dear Friends,
I decided to get me a reed knife. However, its been too long since I used one and can't remember what kind (I know it has to do with the way the blades are designed?) to get. Please write down what you use so I can figure out what to get.
Thanks as always!
Michal.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-04-29 16:10
Disclaimer - I'm biased in that specific case. And I assume you mean a knife for scraping reeds, not a reed clipper.
All of my clarinet buddies I know who are actually scraping reeds use an ordinary (but sharp!) army knife which seems to do the job just fine.
If you're an double reed doubler or just want to indulge in gadgeting, look at this knife. It's not cheap, however.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-04-29 17:32
Quote:
Dear Friends,
I decided to get me a reed knife. However, its been too long since I used one and can't remember what kind (I know it has to do with the way the blades are designed?) to get. Please write down what you use so I can figure out what to get.
Thanks as always!
Michal.
Jende Industries sells extremely sharp, and beautifully made Reed Knives. Tom Blodgett, owner of Jende was also an orchestral clarinetist and will be able to give you tips. The knives are a bit pricey, but are the sharpest on the market IMO. He also sells accessories to maintain the knives.
http://www.jendeindustries.com/
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-04-29 18:50
I use the non-serrated blade of a gerber multitool.
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-04-29 19:38
There are many models, all of which work fine on clarinet reeds. Any knife that goes for $20 or more is made of good steel.
I've used a Vitry knife for 45 years. It's made of comparatively soft steel, which makes it easy to sharpen. On the other hand, you have to touch it up frequently.
The Jende knife is made of very hard steel. You almost have to send it back to them when it loses its edge. Also, it's over $100.
Landwell makes hard, medium and soft steel blades. I have a medium that I like. They sell for around $60.
The most important part is how it feels in your hand. The handle on my Vitry is slightly pear-shaped, which fits my (rather large) palm and fingers perfectly, but it's almost certain it won't fit anyone else's as well. You need to hold and try several, which means you really can't order by mail.
Once you learn how to use a knife, almost anything will do. On occasion, when I haven't had my regular equipment, I've done very well with a cheap kitchen knife.
There's no magic in a particular knife. It's all in learning how to use it.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-29 21:05
So is it better to have a mild or silver steel knife, or a high speed steel knife?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2007-04-29 22:42
I was told (umpteen years ago) that clarinetists "should" use only single-beveled knives, and that oboists/bassoonists needed a variety of double-beveled knives. I have no idea why, but I'm beginning to doubt this. I only have the one knife, but would not hesitate to recommend pretty much anything affordable to students...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-04-30 03:42
I would say that the blade should be rather thick before the edge. a super thin razor-like knife will cause problems, IMO.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pewd
Date: 2007-04-30 14:15
ken's last sentence says it all.
i use a pocket knife, whats the big deal, its just a knife....
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2007-05-01 04:47
Bonade recommended not using a reed knife on clarinet reeds as I recall. For oboe reeds, I find the Vitry reed knife to be great. However, I have a knife that looks like a Vitry but has no name on it. It simply cannot be sharpened, in my experience.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-05-01 06:18
Buy a Cold steel knife. Not only does it work well on reeds, it is also a great defense mechanism/box cutter! Then just buy a generic sharpening stone and your pretty much set for a longggg while.
It's a great two fer! 1) carry it in your pocket as a defense weapon, 2) protect yourself from street thugs, 3) intimidate your opponents, 4) cut reeds.
In addition to that, you'd use the cold steel knife more often then a reed knife because it's always in your pocket! reed knifes mostly stay home.
practical? What more could you ask for? =D
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
Post Edited (2007-05-01 06:20)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarence
Date: 2007-05-01 06:52
I have a Landwell Hard for oboe, but use a single edge razorblade for clarinet.
I regularly scrape the top, back and sides of all my reeds.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-05-01 10:22
Can you still buy pocket knives from street markets in France? Or has there been an EU ruling against the sale of knives in this way?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2007-05-01 12:32
Any old blade will do as long as it's sharp and you use a light touch. The folding straight edge razor was a favorite in the old days.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jendereedknife
Date: 2007-05-09 05:50
Dear Michal and all,
I was reading this strain, and I would like to clarify Ken Shaw's 4/29 response about the Jende Reed Knife:
"The Jende knife is made of very hard steel. You almost have to send it back to them when it loses its edge. Also, it's over $100."
The Japanese steel family that the knife is made from is one used traditionally for making knives. The steel is not super hard, in fact it is "medium" carbon, which makes it more malleable. The knife is then hardened to Rockwell 61-62, which means that the surface of the knife is hard, while the core is softer, much like a samurai sword. This allows the knife to be sharpened to extremely fine levels, without the edge being so brittle. In other words, it can both take and hold an edge very well.
Also, each knife is hand sharpened by me, and is ready to go right out of the box - a feature that is not available with any other reed knife.
Sharpening the Jende Reed Knife is easier than others because it is sharp when you get it, thus making it easier to maintain in the short-run. All knives, no matter what make or model will need to be maintained in the long run. I offer the sharpening service for those who do not sharpen well, or do not wish to sharpen their own knives.
The perceived high cost is due to the quality of the steel, and the amount of time that goes into hand sharpening each knife. It is meant to be a knife you only buy once.
I do agree with the fact that you should use whatever works best for you!
I would be happy to answer any other questions about the Jende Reed Knife privately.
Tom Blodgett
Sincerely,
Tom Blodgett
President,
Jende Industries, LLC
www.jendeindustries.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-05-09 16:10
Tom -
Thanks for the information about your "hard over medium" steel. I don't think you mention it on your site, but it makes sense.
I'll definitely be at your workshop on Saturday.
I'd like to know your thoughts on a sharpening style many oboists use, which is to put a "wire edge" on the blade and then bend it forward, like a carpenter's or violin-maker's scraper.
Gonzalo Ruiz, for example, uses a knife with a flat back and a hollow-ground front. To prepare the knife, he gives the flat side a couple of strokes on the stone, with the edge facing away and pulling it towards himself. He then turns the blade over and removes the wire edge in the same way. Finally, he puts the back flat on the stone and pushes the edge away from himself, while raising the back about 35 degrees.
This sets the edge bent toward the front of the knife, which, he says, lets him scrape the reed using almost no pressure.
The resulting edge wears quickly, so he has to reset it every couple of minutes, but he says it's worth it for the low pressure and control.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jendereedknife
Date: 2007-05-09 22:38
Ken,
I'm glad you can make it on the 9th. It should be a lot of fun!
What you described about Gonzalo Ruiz sounds very much like the method oboists use. The first step establishes a burr, which means the knife is actually "sharp" at that moment. The last stroke creates a micro-bevel, with the burr facing away from him. This burr then acts like a snow plow, scraping cane from the surface of the reed. I agree with his method, and teach one similar to that, which you'll see at the seminar.
The burr itself is fragile, and will bend and break with use. If anyone is interested in more details about preserving the burr without removing metal, please email me privately.)
Scrapers are a different breed. To make a scraper, one uses a burnisher, which is a thick metal rod that is used to actually bend the blade over, not manipulate the burr which is hanging off the blade. This makes kind of a "hook" that is extremely effective. It works best on the really thin hollow ground knives, like albion, herder, and philadelphia. repairing a scraper edge can be a very involved process, though.
Every method has its pros and cons, which is why reed knives are so controversial - especially in the oboe world!
Tom Blodgett
Sincerely,
Tom Blodgett
President,
Jende Industries, LLC
www.jendeindustries.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
