Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-10-05 23:36
Ashley, soak your reeds well, then do a suction test to see if they seal.
Cover the end of the staple with your index finger tip (lick your index finger so it seals well) while gripping the cork with your thumb and middle finger and suck the air from the reed. You should be able to hold a vacuum from between 5 and 10 seconds before the blades 'pop' open.
If you can't get a vacuum, you have a leak - either the binding is leaking (due to it not being sealed) or there's a leak at the base of the reed (above the binding) where the two blades meet'.
To cure the binding leak, coat all the threaded area with clear nail varnish to seal it all and let it dry. Then repeat the suction test.
If it still leaks, then wrap a strip of cling film (or plumbers' PTFE tape) around the lower part of the reed between the bottom of the scrape and covering the entire binding as well to seal it all - you can cover the cling film with nail varnish to stop it unravelling. If your reeds are wired, cover the wire as well. This should stop all leaks and give you more response across the entire range.
Don't use sellotape to do this.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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