 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-09-18 23:20
I recently had the urge to take out one of the clarinets that has been sitting in the closet for a while and play that for a change.
Well, it's basically covered with mold! Disgusting!!
I find that some brands of clarinets (and reeds) take mold faster and more severely than others. In this case (pun intended) was a Buffet form the 80s and a Penzel Mueller (I guess from the 40s or 50s). The Buffet had only the slightest touch of small mold spots here and there, but the PM was COVERED with mold.
Clearly, they are both being subjected to the same RH levels and the mold spores are around both of them.
How can I stop this mold from happening on the PMs (it also happens on an older Buffet I have)??
I was thinking this could be caused by the type of wood wax that was used in the finish- the Buffet clearly has something that mold doesn't feed on. Would it be a good idea to remove the wax on the PM and replace it? What should I use if I do that? The Doc's wax?? Some other?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: knotty
Date: 2009-09-19 00:14
Wonder if ultra violet light like in a tanning salon would kill the mold? Perhaps UV may fix musty old cases too.
I don't know, just a thought.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-09-19 12:26
It is a rather new case. The Buffet was fine and the PM was not, but they were right next to each other in this double case.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2009-09-19 14:44
(Disclaimer - I sell humidity products, cleaner, and wax for woodwinds)
Vegetative mold (the stuff that you see growing) will not grow if the RH is below 50%. The spores that can begin to grow are everywhere as you suggest but may reside for long periods of time in the oil and dirt that accumulates on the outside of wood clarinets - especially in the pores of the wood. The older the instrument the more chance that it has a load of spores ready to grow out.
Unfortunately mold spores are not killed by a quick bath in soap and water either so cleaning and waxing the exterior is good but does not guarantee a surface free of mold spores ready to grow when the RH goes above 50%. Cleaning, waxing, and keeping RH below 50% should work well for many. Old cases too are havens for mold spores and once mildew starts to grow you need to kill both the vegetative mold but also the spores with a chemical solution cleaner or any clarinet placed in the case will pick up a new load of spores.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2009-09-19 20:40
My Pedler Albert C horn was affected by mold about 3-4 years ago. I then (stupidly?) left it out of its case in my southeast-facing studio thinking the sun would help. Well, it did prevent the mold from spreading any further, BUT the bell (where most of the mold was) ended up with a 2-3 mm crack. I do not recommend placing older clarinets in continuous sun for this reason!
Luckily I had a buddy who repaired the crack, removed the mold, AND tossed the moldy case. The horn now resides in a case which has never given any clarinet mold.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-09-19 21:18
Side question- What kind of waxes are used in the finish? Are waxes used today the same as years ago?
I have a hunch that the old instrument was waxed with a natural compound and the new was coated with a synthetic compound that is uneatable to mold.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2009-09-20 11:56
I do not know what waxes were used on clarinet finishes from various manufacturers but modern waxes are mostly synthetic such as the microcrystalline wax currently used on wooden artifacts in museums. The better older waxes were made with carnauba wax which comes from the waxy shell on a plant. Could be that molds can eat the natural organic waxes but not the synthetics? I have not done the experiment of trying to grow mold on surfaces with different types of waxes but sounds like a great potential boon to clarinetists in humid environments!
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-09-24 08:20
Dr. Omar,
What method do you recommend for killing the mold and spores? I know you say that H2O2 is good for killing mold on reeds, but is it ok for clarinets?
Also, if I were to rewax with a product like the one you sell, I assume that I should remove the wax that is already there- how should I do this?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2009-09-24 10:30
(Disclaimer - I sell a case odor eliminator that kills mold and spores)
Hydrogen peroxide is too strong an oxidizing agent to use on the wood and would harm pads too. I use a chemical mixture - proprietary - in the formulation used on cases to kill mold and spores in my case cleaner that will also work on wood if promptly rinsed off with clean water. Perhaps other formulations or a commercial brand will surface from other posters. A wood cleaner like Murphy's Oil Soap less diluted should remove the caranuba wax and then the wood can be rewaxed, after drying, with a synthetic wax.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2009-09-24 14:09
If the clarinet is waxed, why do some believe oiling the instrument is necessary? (Forgive my lack of scientific intuition.)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2009-09-24 14:22
(Disclaimer - I sell oiling and wax products)
Good point Katrina. Old wax should be removed before oiling. IMO the sequence should be to clean the wood to remove old wax and remove the gunk formed by dust and polution combining with the natural oil in the wood which clogs pores used for transpiration of water and dulls the finish. The wood can then be oiled and later waxed or just waxed. In hot weather oil may weep through any wax from the wood and therefore I repeat this procedure about once a year on daily use instruments - stored instruments or low use instruments need it less frequently.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: alanporter
Date: 2009-09-24 14:57
This whole group of postings is a perfect argument in favor of any of the non-wood clarinets. Sorry if that comment upsets anyone.
tiaroa@shaw.ca
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2009-09-24 15:02
Non-wood materials are not immune to mold, unless you keep it clinically clean. As long as temperature and humidity are okay, even metal can develop a layer of mold, depending on the organic residue left on the surface. And then there are still pads, corks and so on...
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: susieray
Date: 2009-09-24 21:11
I've seen some pretty moldy plastic clarinets; plus the case lining, old reeds, pads, corks, old swab etc can certainly turn moldy very quicky if stored in a damp place. Springs and screws will get rusty also, none of this has to do with whether the clarinet is made of wood or not.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
