 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: estridente
Date: 2025-03-04 00:38
Hello and thank you all for all the knowledge you have been sharing on this amazing forum. It has been really useful to me.
I'm looking for some kind of moisture absorving mop/brush to remove at least a decent amount of moisture from inside the mouthpiece and barrel (assembled with the reed) by inserting the brush/mop from below the barrel (while being careful about not touching the reed too much).
This is something experimental I'd like to try, I live in a high humidity area and the upper portion of my clarinet collects way too much moisture too easily. So I basically want to find some quick method I could use every 5 minutes or so if neccesary, to remove the moisture without having to disassembly the reed. I know about blowing the upper tone holes but it doesn't completely replaces the swabing (I'll still use a swab for the lower portions).
The options I know of are:
Padsavers: They seem to be too big for this use case. Maybe I can buy and modify one.
Bore mops for firearms: The ones I know are made of cotton and I've heard this leaves residue on the bore.
Ventura clarinet cleaning and care: Also made of cotton.
Qtips: too small?
Do you know of any other such brush/mop or alternative method I could try?
Thanks!
Post Edited (2025-03-04 00:43)
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-03-04 02:23
I could have written this story a few weeks ago for the commonality in need and sentiment it expresses to me.
I purchased this and am happy with it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWWYVSQ6?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
When I get a chance, say during rehearsals, I'll quickly separate my clarinet at its midsection, place the bottom half of the instrument, which relatively speaking collects little moisture compared to the top half--especially when I use this device periodically--and place it on my clarinet stand, freeing up both my hands, and shove this device up the clarinet's left hand section.
Since I insert it as far as possible I have means to grab its metal ring, (like with a pencil) on its "non business end" to extract it.
If your focus is more on the barrel and mouthpiece though I see no reason why you can't disconnect the instrument at this point and shove the device far less than completely up the barrel towards the mouthpiece; also likely not needing anything to facilitate extraction like I do, as most of the non-business end will be exposed.
I use to swab but I don't like separating the mouthpiece from the barrel for fear I'll loosen the ligature or not align the reed properly upon quick reassembly.
Still more, slight rotation during insertion and/or extraction seems to do a better job at cleanup, I imagine for the same reason that cleaning up messes on floors finds the "mop" king over the rag, if you catch my analogy.
Good luck.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-03-04 02:33
At concerts and rehearsals I occasionally remove the barrel and mouthpiece (keeping the two together) and blow forcefully into the open end of the barrel. Fortunately no one sits in front of me...
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2025-03-04 02:33)
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Author: estridente
Date: 2025-03-04 03:15
Tom H wrote:
> At concerts and rehearsals I occasionally remove the barrel and
> mouthpiece (keeping the two together) and blow forcefully into
> the open end of the barrel. Fortunately no one sits in front of
> me...
Nice, thank you! I'll start trying this one. I'll probably order a custom piece/insert to be made on a turning lathe such that the lips touch this piece instead of the greasy opening of the barrel. Just tried assembling a second mp on the lower opening of the barrel but the diameter is not the same.
SecondTry wrote:
> I use to swab but I don't like separating the mouthpiece from
> the barrel for fear I'll loosen the ligature or not align the reed
> properly upon quick reassembly.
Exactly, it'd easier to clean just the mouthpiece (with the reed) using a qtip for example, but it'd require way too much care to remove the mp without accidentaly displacing or breaking the reed. But I think that swabing the three lower sections in one hand then cleaning the barrel/mp/reed combo with one of these brushes should be fairly quick and easy, and without risking to displace the reed while pulling from the barrel instead of mp.
I'll try to find that brush in a local dealer, thanks!
Post Edited (2025-03-04 08:03)
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Author: JMason
Date: 2025-03-07 10:08
Attachment: 20250306_232904001.jpg (932k)
I live in East Texas it is 90 degrees outside and 90% humidly and I go into church at 70 degrees to play. After 5 minutes water is dripping out of the barrel. I do not have time to take the mouth piece off and run a swab through the barrel. So what I do is take a telescoping wand with a bore swab on the end and run it through the barrel from the bell to the mouthpiece. It takes about 2 seconds and dries everything out.
In the attachment the top item is a regular bore swab brush, the middle item is a Kobalt telescoping magnet tool. The bottom item is a combination of both.
I cut about 3 inches of the bore swab, cut the magnet off of the Kobalt tool, Epoxy the bore swab into the hollow tube of the Kobalt tool and you have the tool in the bottom of the photograph.
You extend the tool out a couple of segments, about the length of your clarinet, and run the brush up and down a couple of times and most of the water is gone.
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