Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-06-12 22:42
A lot of Italian instruments have keys cast in single pieces (touchpieces, key arms, pad cups, key barrels, spring hitches, adjusting screw pips - basically the lot are all cast in one go!), so they're very likely to be soft. Some castings can hide serious metallurgic defects which only show up when the key fractures at that point - if you're lucky they'd be found when the castings are filed smooth by seeing a visible dark line running through or a patch on the surface of the metal that won't disappear with more filing.
Most oboe makers have keys made from some cast, some extruded, some turned and milled components which is all hard soldered to the key barrel (extruded metal tubing), so that usually results in stronger keywork and more reliable regulation (dry solder joints aside). Touchpieces are usually cast as they're irregularly shaped, whereas pad cups are machined. Key arms and linkage pieces are often milled or stamped from sheet metal.
The kinds of metal used are often bronze or nickel silver for the castings and brass or nickel silver for key barrels, key arms and linkages, socket rings and socket linings which are stamped, extruded or machined.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2014-06-13 01:47)
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