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Re: Clarinet Bell Metal

Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2015-04-10 15:05

I don't know for sure but as a mechanical engineer permit me to speculate:

The bell metal ring is often un-plated cupronickel (a.k.a. "nickel silver" a.k.a. "German silver"), I think because it has to be swaged (compressed) onto the wood bell and if it were plated before that operation the plating would tend to get scratched or flake off by the action of the press that swages on the ring. And you really can't plate the ring after it's installed on the bell. So while the rest of the keywork (and tenon rings) may be nickel- or silver-plated, the bell ring in unplated and so tarnishes with that yellowish color.

Again, a guess.

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