Maintenance

Wooden instruments, particularly those with warm moist air blown down them require periodic oiling to prevent the timber from absorbing moisture and maintaining its stability.

BARRELS

Oiling your A.Doyle CLARINETS barrel is a very simple process, and should be undertaken whenever the wood in the bore starts to change colour, signalling that it is drying out (most commonly at the change of seasons).

Step 1

Select your oil. Suitable oils include a synthetic Clarinet Bore Oil, Almond Oil and Linseed Oil. The oil I use during construction is Linseed Oil which gives the wood a silky brown colour, as well as a delightful earthy smell. Almond Oil is a little bit thinner and will be absorbed easier so your barrel or clarinet is ready to play sooner, although it will require a little more regular oiling.

Step 2

Dribble some oil onto a rag or old pull through, and pull it through the barrel until an even coverage has occurred. Some oil may pool in the tenons – this is ok and any excess can be left overnight to be absorbed, or simply mop up excess with a rag.

Step 3

Leave to dry, and repeat if necessary.

PLEASE NOTE: lighter woods will require more regular oiling due to being less dense.

CLARINETS

The process of oiling your clarinet is the same as oiling your barrel (see above), with the additional step of either covering the pads or removing the keys completely, to avoid oil coming into contact with the leather pads, which will cause them to harden and not seal properly.