 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: julceyyxd
Date: 2012-09-18 00:06
I just got a brand new R-13 with silver plated keys and I really want to keep it in good condition for as long as I can until I can afford a nice case, which won't be for a long while. I hear that polishing cloths help with that. Do you agree? And if so, what kinds of polishing cloths do you use? I have read that some polishing cloths can be too harsh for R-13's thin silver plating.
On another note, I know that humidity is bad for the wood. The issue is that it can get very humid here in Georgia, but I want to bring my clarinet to school. I still bring my old intermediate Yamaha to school because I am afraid of the damage that leaving it in the warm band storage room or walking around in the humidity from class to class will do to it. Do you guys think I'm overreacting? Could I leave it in my locker in my nicely air conditioned school hallway for the majority of the school day?
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-09-18 00:24
I find that air conditioning which removes the humidity actually shrinks the wood on my instruments and makes the tenon rings loose so my clarinets live in humidity and have no problems. In the winter I use humidifiers.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-18 00:26
High (and stable) humidity is good for wooden clarinets - it's low humidity, cold temperatures and sudden changes in both that are bad.
As for the silver plating, get the best quality silver polishing cloth - not a general purpose one for cutlery and ornaments as they may be too abrasive. Find one that's designed for instruments.
In the meantime, an old t-shirt that's clean and torn into rags will do the trick.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2012-09-18 00:39
> Do you guys think I'm overreacting
Since you asked, yes. Take it to school. Play the new one. Excepting if you happen to be in a marching band - use the old one for marching band.
Good case - they're not expensive. A Gator case is 49.99 from Weiner Music. Less than 2% of the cost of a new R13.
"old t-shirt"
Yup, sure. Or I use a cotton (not poly) handkerchief. I wipe it down, oh, every 2 weeks or so.
Just play it...
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-09-18 00:46
I'm glad to see that you are overreacting, rather than underreacting!
For any new clarinet, the most important thing you can do is keep it stable. This can be done by keeping a humidifier in the case, getting an insulated case cover, and never storing the horn in places with temperatures below 55 degrees or above 75 degrees. Understand that wooden instruments do not crack from high or low humidity or temperatures-- it's the drastic, sudden changes in climate/temperature that put the instrument at risk.
For the keys, just polish them with a microfiber polishing cloth maybe once a week. I use the one that came with my Tosca, but I believe Vandoren makes one that is identical.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
Post Edited (2012-09-18 02:40)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-09-18 00:52
I like my keys dull. The feel better and are less slippery.
Any polishing cloth will have some abrasive in it. I'd rather use an old cotton handkerchief or a piece of a T-shirt. Don't use fabric softener when you wash it -- you don't want to transfer anything to the keys.
3M makes inexpensive Anti-Tarnish strips that contain "sacrificial" material that absorbs sulfur and other tarnish-producing material. See http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=anti-tarnish+strip&_sacat=0&_odkw=tarnish+cloth&_osacat=0.
There's also anti-tarnish cloth. My parents had a "silver drawer" lined with this cloth, and their silver never tarnished. You can get them at silverware stores, but the price is high. However, eBay always has ends of rolls of it at bargain prices. Search for tarnish cloth. If you're handy with a sewing machine, it's easy to make pajamas for each clarinet joint. Any dressmaker could run some up for you in a jiffy.
Ken Shaw
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-09-18 02:15
Some have recommended Never Dull. Any thoughts on that out there?
Also a side question, I think I read somewhere that the original Yamaha 72 case lining contributed to tarnising of silver keys. Is that correct?
Laurie
(Mr. Laurie J Braaten)
Post Edited (2012-09-18 14:40)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-09-18 06:34
Just wipe your keys off every few days with 100% cotton cloth (my recommendation is to get a yard of flannel from your local fabric store, again 100% COTTON !!!!).
As Ken says, anything that is billed to SHINE metal (including all chemicals) actually removes minute layers of material. If you use polishing clothes or polishing chemicals regularly, you will eventually go through your plating rather quickly and you won't like the expense of replating ($300-500 for the overhaul plus the cost of the plating itself which is another $300-500).
............Paul Aviles
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-09-18 07:39
NeverDull or Brasso is great for cloudy Nickel keys.
As with any cleaning agent, sensitive people should wear gloves. It's not that these polishing wads are especially nasty.
Having said that, you definitely don't need it for silver. IME an old T-shirt (lint free after a zillion times in the machine) and the occasional breath will do the trick just nicely.
If the silver gets yellow and black, you may want to use the mildest liquid silver polish you can get. This, however, requires you to remove the keys prior to polishing.
(Edited for clarity)
--
Ben
Post Edited (2012-09-18 08:13)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-18 08:01
I wouldn't recommend using any liquid silver polish as that can end up a sorry and expensive mess if it gets everywhere. To a novice, what may seem like a good idea with all good intent can all too easily end up a disaster.
The only time liquid metal polish should be used is when the keys are off and preferrably don't have any pads or corks on them which will get contaminated (such as during an overhaul). Any residual polish will be removed easier when the keys are in this state - either by hand or in an ultrasonic cleaner.
So it's best to stick to using an old cotton t-shirt or soft cotton cloth to wipe keys down with after playing and let your tech do the hard work when it goes in for routine servicing.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-09-18 08:11
> I wouldn't recommend using any liquid silver polish as that can end up a
> sorry and expensive mess if it gets everywhere.
Oops, sorry for having omitted the important bit - of course, you should remove the keys if you clean them with a liquid. There's no way you can remove all tarnish as long as they're on the instrument.
--
Ben
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-18 08:19
And polish that finds its way into the mechanism can cause the keys to bind up solid (and make the rod screws very difficult to remove) or cause excessive wear.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: dream62
Date: 2012-09-18 12:02
Polishing more neart
That
For the regular maintenance (sweating for example)
Chamois cotton silverware ( severals brands)agree
and concerning a more thorough job
Dremel and aluminium oxide paste
this
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-09-18 12:21
Aluminum oxide paste + a Dremel is a foolproof way to go through the plating in only a few seconds. Use only if you want to ruin your keys.
Ken Shaw
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Author: dream62
Date: 2012-09-18 12:44
For this latter solution,needs to be used sparingly ; This make sense !
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-18 17:49
For everyday and general wiping the keys down after playing and keeping a good shine on silver plated keys, an old t-shirt is perfectly adequate for that. For a brighter shine, a silver polishing cloth will do a good job - but don't scuff the pads with the cloth while you're polishing the keys (and only polish them by hand).
Anything more involved than that - if there's serious tarnish or pitting or plating wear, then leave it to your tech to sort out as they should have the proper equipment to deal with it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: julceyyxd
Date: 2012-09-24 00:38
Would a microfiber lense cleaning cloth fair as well as an old t-shirt? The ones they give you for glasses?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-24 01:33
Yeah - I use a Jupiter microfibre cloth on my flutes after playing them which keeps them clean and shiny.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-09-24 11:10
Chris can correct me on this, but I think the microfiber cloths, being an artificial fabric, are more abrasive than many-times-laundered cotton, as well as more likely to leave fibers behind.
Why pay when your dresser has all you want for free?
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-24 12:23
The Jupiter microfibre cloths are a very tight weave fabric, not the loose fluffy kind that are more commonly found on sale as dusters. To my knowledge (and with close scrutiny) they don't appear to scratch the surface of my flutes or shed fibres.
While they don't polish in the same manner as a silvercloth does (as they're not impregnated with silver polish), they do an excellent job of removing perspiration from flutes very well, so may possibly be better for and less abrasive to silver plate than a cotton cloth.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ariel3
Date: 2012-09-24 15:44
I use the Hagerty Selvyt Jewelry Care cloth. It is a 10 x 10 inch special cloth designed for silver or gold items. It does not contain any polish, is super soft and can be hand washed with a mild detergent as often as needed.
I keep it spread on top of the instruments in the case and wipe the instruments after each use. The keys of my clarinets after twenty years since the instruments were silver plated are still in as-new condition.
I have two and rotate them between washings. They are available at any jewelry store.
Gene
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-24 17:49
I used to use Selvyt cloths to polish my parade shoes with until I got patent leather George boots (which I still buff up with a Selvyt cloth).
Never thought of using one for woodwinds - one of the oboe players used to use one on her oboe.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-24 20:19
Maybe my eyesight is a lot worse than I thought!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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