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Regarding Cork Grease

27K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  jim22  
#1 ·
Hi Friends !

Firstly, I'd like to apologize and say that I'm sorry (though I myself am not sure why)for everything thats happening because of me - sorry for all the confusions etc...

Anyways, just wanted some advice - I've read in many articles, online lessons etc that some 'Cork-Grease' has to be used on the cork sheet on the neck, for the mouth piece to slide in easily and smoothly... Just wanted to know if anything else more commonly available, can be used as a sustitute for the Cork Grease ?

I read in a website that Vaseline can be used as a substitue and just wanted to verify if its true and can it really be used as a substitute ?

Also wanted to know (sorry if I've asked this earlier) - how far should the mouth piece be inserted on to the neck - should it fully cover the cork or can some of the cork be exposed ? Which will give me better results or will it even affect the sound or tone ?

It will be a great help, if you can Kindly guide me a little on the above.
Anyways, thanks for reading and for caring...
Regards and Smiles
Kush
 
#3 ·
Hi Sir,

I hope everything is well.

Thanks for the kind reply and for caring...

Sir, just wanted to request you to kindly let me know what is a 'Chapstick' and if its easily available.

I've also read that applying too much of Grease can affect and harm the cork. Just wanted to know if the cork can be easily replaced if such a thing happens (just wanted to know for knowledge sake) and if yes, can I do it myself Sir ?

Kindly advice.
Thanks again for replying.
Take care and Have a Nice day.
Regards and Smiles:)
Kush
 
#6 ·
Thanks again for caring and for the link Sir... I guess we dont get it here in India, but we do get Vaseline. There's also something available at the medical stores, called the Lip-Balm, but I'm not sure of the compostion etc

I'll stick to Vaseline then Sir - Thanks for caring :)

Edit - oops ! I could've 'googled' for it ! Its the first link that the search shows - sorry for that and for bothering you with it Sir :)
 
#5 ·
Thanks also for the kind advice regarding the Mouth Piece placement :)

Sorry for being inquisitive and asking this again Sir (I understand that it must be an advanced or intermediate topic) - but just wanted to know If Sliding the mouth at different lengths over the cork affect the tone quality in any way ? Actually when I blow in to the Mouth piece, I just get a very loud, Car-Horn like sound - it sounds more like a noise than a musical tone.

I understand that it can also be because of my bad technique, but just wanted to know if sliding it in more or sliding it out can make the Tone to be more smooth and mellow instead of being loud ?

Kindly advice Sir... Sorry for asking about an advanced topic (if it is) though I know I'm not ready for it yet, just getting inquisitive and its just that I desperately want to learn... :) I hope you understand...

Anyways, Thanks again !
Have a great day !
Warm Regards,
Kush
 
#7 ·
I've use Lip Balm also. The placement on the neck isn't a big deal at first. Just put it half way on. More important for now is that you start playing with the proper embouchure.........there are many threads on here to learn form in that regard.
Have great day!
Warm Regards to you also!:)
 
#8 ·
Thanks for caring Sir :)
 
#10 ·
Hi there !

Thanks for the kind reply :)

So it changes the Note itself ?

Thanks again for caring !
Regards and Care
Kush:)
 
#11 ·
There is an ideal position for the mouthpiece on teh cork, so that the notes play in tune, i.e. the correct pitch.

I think the mouthpiece needs to cover more than half the cork, otherwise the low notes may sound "blurb-blurb-blurb-blub.....", especially with some models of sax, and especially with soprano saxes. Maybe 2/3 or 3/4. Experiment.

In my experience Vaseline is not a good cork grease. Somehow, it seems to go through the cork and wreck the glue that holds the cork on. I used to use 3/4 Vaseline heated with 1/4 paraffin wax (candle). Lip balm may be better. The paraffin/Vaseline mixture is nowhere near as good as the modern products from Alisyn and Doctors Products.

But it is just to make the mouthpiece slide nicely on the cork. You could probably use ghee.
 
#12 ·
In my experience Vaseline is not a good cork grease. Somehow, it seems to go through the cork and wreck the glue that holds the cork on. I used to use 3/4 Vaseline heated with 1/4 paraffin wax (candle). Lip balm may be better. The paraffin/Vaseline mixture is nowhere near as good as the modern products from Alisyn and Doctors Products.
I've had the same experience. Vaseline is extremely messy to work with, and it managed to separate the cork from the neck in a manner similar to what Gordon described. I've never had issues with Chapstick/Lip Balm in a pinch.

Just a thought, has anyone ever tried using some sort of wax as a cork grease substitute? How would something like a clear crayon, or candle work out? I know that yo-yo enthusiasts wax their strings. Any harm to applying wax to cork?
 
#13 ·
Some clarinet players/technicians wax their cork with paraffin wax (candle), using heat to spread it then rub it in, and then use little or no cork grease.

1.
You might get away with it in a warmer climate.
I find that paraffin is sufficiently stiff that it "claims space" between the cork and the mouthpiece, and hence over-compresses the cork. I sometimes use it deliberately to force the metal apart when flute tenons are too tight. If it can force metal to yield, then it will surely over-compress cork.

2.
IMO, the long narrow cork of a sax makes paraffin less suitable for sax.
 
#14 ·
How about Adhesive Wax Stick? This was a product put out by Jiffy Printers Products that we used to "paste up" pages in the old days before computer layout programs. I still have a box of the stuff. Came in a large yellow adjustable tube like Chapstick and I thought it was great because unlike glue sticks we used then you could peel off and move paper anytime with the wax stick. Looks to me much like today's cork grease. Haven't used it on my sax cork yet. But may give it a try.
 
#15 ·
That sounds like a very bad idea. A lubricant is needed, NOT an adhesive! We want to be able to remove the MP after playing!

This is a very OLD thread, but I have used cheap petrolatum cork grease, Doctor's slick, and synthetic cork grease. All work fine. Doctor's slick is probably safest for the cork and less is required. Cork is easy to change if the grease does happen to deteriorate it.