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t CHAPTER II: A Ten-Day Routine for Breaking in Reeds

t A. The Clarinet Reed: Diagram and Terms

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t Left Rail

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T Stock or Bark

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t Table or
Flat Side

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 Scrape #1

T scraPeis used for taking off large amounts of wood in areas near
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the shoulder, at the thickest part of-the vamp. You will not need to rest the
reed on a placque; simply place it in your hind (see Figure 6a):

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Figu-rq 5a: Best areas of the reed for Scrape#L. When taking off large
amounts of the reed around the shoulder, it is O K for the knife tidig in a"bit.

Figure 6b: Use this part of the knife blade for Scrape#1

Figure 5c: Motion of knife blade in scrape #1. place thumb behind
blade to guide. Starting with the knife nearly pirallel to the surface of the
reed, Plsh the knife gently from behind witlr ihe thumb, and turn the knife
upwards at the end of the follow-through.

Remembet,-thig p_rocedure is only for taking off large amounts of

*99d.,, usually in thethickest part of the vamp, near tfre shouldir. Experiment
with the tgutghl or hollow- fround knife h6re or the bevelled edge^l*if"; i
recommend the bevelled edgb knife.

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 Scrape#2

f ..Scrape#2.rsalso used near the shoulder of the reed, but it is a more

versatile,,scraPe
than ScraPg#!, as you cah take off smallet of wood
t_ easrly. Here you can rest the reed on a placque (seeFigure za).
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t Figure 7a: Best areas of the reed for Scrape#2

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Figure 7b: Use this section of the knife blade for Scrape#2

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Figule- 7c: Action of the knifg.in Scrape-#2.-Place,the thumb against the

to guide it. Start with the knife perpehdic"tu.to tt";;;e;J'draw the
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knife upwards in the follow-through. - Usleeither the bevelled edge knife or
hollow ground knife for this scrape.
 Scrape#3
scrape#3 is an anglfd scraPegtan{g fro-m
reed and trivelling towaids tt rr'"utt the rail or near the rail of the
secti6n. with this scrape you remove
very small amount of wood " h a
grh procea,riJ I recomhreird using the
placquewith this scrape. lt is usuait;r5;;il:;
areasof the reed:

Figure 8a: Best areas of the reed for Scrape#3

Figure 8b: Use this section of the knife for Scrape#3

scraping at an angle into the reed, you will want the

. . for following kind
of knife motion:

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Figure 8c: scraping at an angle.into

knife motion I recorrineid the rtriignt o, the reed. Note the narrow range of
iirur:*Iround
procedure. i knife for tnrs

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 Scrape #4

This scrape, precise and easy to learn, is used near the tip of the reed
(see Figur" 9j): With it you take off the least amount of wood pei scraping
procedure. Ot ly a tiny amount of "dust" should be visible on tfre knife iftei
this procedure. Rest the reed on a placque and use a minimum of knife
Pressure.

Resistance Point

Figure 9a: Area of the reed for using Scrape #4

t Figure 9b: Use this section of the knife for Scrape #4

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Figure 9c: Starting at a 45 degree angle as in the illustration above,

F bring the knife perpendicular to the reed (at a 90 degree angle), and then stop-
-don't continue on the follow through, which can gouge the reed in these
more senstive areas. Scrape straight with the grain of the reed, not diagonally.

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 Use of Sandpaper Strips and/or Reed Rush

Sandpaper strips and.reed rush can be used almost interchangably; the

main difference is the way they feel in the hand, so experiment
e with-both and
decide which you iike best. Generally, thev
they are used for takins
taking off fairlv
fairly large
amounts of wood over larger areas of ttre-reed; the knife is ilsuallv used io
takeorrsmalrer u,""oL="o'Tf;;;:"FJi
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procedures later on in the handbook using only sandpaper strips.
Cut of #320 grade_Wet-or-Dry sindpafer'into rttipr of the size
. . ] Piece
and shape describ.edon page 1. Note-that ybu hav^ea pointed en& and a blunt
gnd. The pointed end Can be used for smaller areas"and the blunt end for
larger work. Position the striip under the index finger and scrape as shown in
Figure 10.

Figure 10: scraping with sandpaper strips or reed rush

Sandpaper strips lose their "grit" quickly, so be sure to change them

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often.
Although reed rush can be used in much the same way as sandpaper
strips, it must be thoroughly wetted_beforeuse, until it is pliabie. Then flatter,
out the rush and cut it into one-inch lengths. Discard thL pale-coi,ored rush
near the joints, as it is Pithy. and not abrisive enough. Th! resulting pieces
should be of uniform color, be they green or brown. "For use in smailEr'areas,
exPeriment with rush which has bi:ei sliced again to make it half as wide, bui
still about one inch,long. Always position tlie reed rush grain at an angle to
the grain of the reed, e.ve1though you will frequently be slraping th" ,e"edi.,
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the direction of its grain (seeFifuri, tty.

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