 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: soloartist13
Date: 2015-11-22 21:12
I've heard some people say that if you dip an old reed in hydrogen peroxide it can revitalize it and bring it back to life for a short time. Has anybody tried this? Is it even safe?
Thanks!
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2015-11-22 21:34
I usually use a 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water, and it's perfectly safe.
It's not always successful, but it's worth a try.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2015-11-22 22:37
Yes, it's safe. I don't find it especially helpful. For one thing an old reed is an old reed. All the peroxide can do is oxidize some of the gunk that's become embedded in the cane. It can't add resilience to wood that's fatigues from use.
The best judge of its effectiveness is you after you've tried it with a few reeds.
Karl
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Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-11-23 00:36
You could try submerging the reed in boiling water for 1 minute. I remember reading that out of a Peter Hadcock orchestral excerpt book.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-11-23 06:56
Hydrogen peroxide is just water with extra oxygen dissolved in it under pressure. When the bubbling stops, all that's left is water. There's no reason to use alcohol on it, or do more than maybe dip it into tap water.
It does do a bit of reed revival, which, as Karl says, lasts only a day or two.
The treatment raises the grain along the vamp. I smooth it down with a small piece of well-worn 600 sandpaper wrapped around my fingertip.
Ken Shaw
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-11-23 07:57
I use half peroxide half water as a final rinse for my reeds (about 30 sec) before drying and return to storage. All in the name of limiting the biota load. No bitter aftertaste either.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Luuk ★2017
Date: 2015-11-23 14:21
A small but essential correction to the above: hydrogen peroxide is NOT oxygen dissolved in water. Its molecules are composed of two oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, which is a different substance and much more reactive than water (which is composed of one oxygen plus two hydrogen atoms per molecule).
However, the stuff you can buy in your local store is typically a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. And indeed, 'when the bubbling stops', all that is left over is water. Water that was already present, and water that was produced while all the hydrogen peroxide molecules split off their second oxygen atom.
From Wikipedia:
'Hydrogen peroxide is often described as being "water but with one more oxygen atom", a description that can give the incorrect impression of significant similarity between the two compounds. Pure hydrogen peroxide will explode if heated to boiling, will cause serious contact burns to the skin and can set materials alight on contact. For these reasons it is usually handled as a dilute solution (household grades are typically 3–6% in the U.S. and somewhat higher in Europe). Its chemistry is dominated by the nature of its unstable peroxide bond.'
Regards,
Luuk
Philips Symphonic Band
The Netherlands
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Author: Dibbs
Date: 2015-11-23 14:38
Someone above said 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water is perfectly safe. That's not true. It's 50/50 of the household grade (3%) and water that is safe. If you have stronger stuff then you'd want to dilute even further.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-11-24 01:30
Indeed, I (and perhaps others) have been imprecise. I was referring to a 50/50 mix of "Hydrogen Peroxide Topical Solution USP" from the store, already a 3% solution- and water. Which should make something like a net 1.5% solution. An actual 50% solution would be hazardous indeed, and I hope hard to come by.
Use care in dealing with anything solely on the advice of others- you may not have the entire story.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: MikeWilson
Date: 2015-11-25 13:17
There is a patent for a reed sterilising formula of peroxide and glycerol at
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5379673.html
The recommended mix is 3% peroxide with 7% glycerol (volume/volume). I've tried it on my oboe reeds; it seems harmless but I don't bother very often since I've been in a reed making learning phase for a year or so and the more I make the more I learn.
I've not tried it for clarinet or bassoon since I mostly use legere plastic reeds.
Mike
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