 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: LilToadie
Date: 2018-03-14 00:58
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I was packing up my oboe after rehearsal today and I accidentally forgot my case was open when I stood up, so my oboe hit the floor pretty hard on the left side. I haven't had time to look at it until I played again, when I noticed my low B natural and B flat wouldn't come out. I took a look and saw that the rod connecting the bell and the body was really bent, so I, not wanting to go to the repair shop for the second time this year, unbent it. It still sounds airy and not as full as it was before despite my best efforts, and I noticed that the rod connected to the 1st octave key was also has a tiny dent in the middle, although I don't think that's affecting anything other than possibly E natural (it sometimes comes out playing both octaves). Is there anything else I can do to try and help this situation? I really don't want to go to the repair shop again. Thank you!
(I attached some pictures if you need to take a look)
Post Edited (2018-03-14 01:16)
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2018-03-14 02:07
Personally, I would visit the repair shop. I once had a student model oboe that had binding keys. My teacher, who was skilled at repairing oboes fixed it byt applying a polishing agent - in this case Silvo, to the inside rod, and worked it up and down in the outer sleeve until it was freer. He then cleaned both the inner rod and the sleeve, and then re oiled this part. It did the job, but it was not the result of a catastrophic drop. Accidents happen, and although they can be a little expensive to fix properly, I would rather rely on the skills of an expert repairer.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-03-14 16:44
I'd second taking it straight to an oboe specialist to have them straighten things out as they'll know exactly what they're doing.
Bent or binding rods and steels can be freed up without lapping them in their respective key barrels as polishing compounds can embed themselves into the softer metal of the key barrels and cause problems later on. I'd strongly advise against using any kind of metal polish to do that.
Straightening out the steels is best done in a bench motor and then fitted into the key barrels and felt for the areas of resistance, then they can then be straightened out by tapping the affected area with a wooden mallet or hammer handle (not the mallet or hammer head itself). It's a skill and best left to someone who knows what they're doing.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2018-03-15 15:29)
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2018-03-15 00:56
I totally agree - I would not have done the repair as my teacher did, but I guess worth he felt that the binding was slight, and as he lived nearly 400 km from me, it was it was worth the fix. These days I would urge anyone to get a good working relationship with their local woodwind repairer.
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Author: LilToadie
Date: 2018-03-15 02:10
Thank you so much for all the replies! I think I'm going to take everyone's advice and just have it repaired, as it really is only a bit of a trip to the place and hopefully won't be too expensive.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-05-16 10:25
I spin bent steels in my bench motor and use a piece of wood with a hole in it to straighten them, but with pinned steels you have to be extra careful as the steels can break where the pinning holes are drilled through if you bend them in that area.
This isn't a problem on rod screws with no pinning holes and some slight bends can be removed when you're papering them up whilst mounted in your bench chuck - just put a slight bend in them while you're running the abrasive paper along them when they're spinning.
For straightening or removing any bends in hollow key barrels to make them rotate without binding, fit the steel in the key barrel and tap the barrel at the point where the bend is with a wooden hammer handle. You have to locate the exact point to tap it by using your thumb while rotating the key barrel between your thumb and fingers whilst sliding the rod screw or pinned steel up and down inside the key barrel.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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