Hello all,
Thought maybe you would like to learn a little more about what we are doing when we make oboe reeds.
There are two files attached. One shows the raw material – reed cane in tube form. Through a variety of processes we split, cut, plane a piece of cane to three inches long and then gouge (hollow) it to .45-.6 mm thick. The cane is then folded and trimmed to a precise shape. Next the shaped cane is tied to a staple (metal tube covered in cork). Now the fun begins – using a knife you scrape the reed with a reed knife. The tip is is scraped around to .03mm – about the thickness of a piece of paper. The rest of the reed is scraped to between .40 mm and .50 mm.
It is an involved process that takes years to master and at which the oboist spends hours a week working on. Bassoonists also make their own reeds. Clarinetists and saxophonists use reed knives to touch up reeds but rarely make their own. Because of the construction of these reeds – they are easier to use manufacture by machine.
There is a direct correlation between the sharpness of the knife and quality of the reed. Wicked Edge has made a huge difference in my own reed making as many oboists around the country can now also attest.
Hope this helps,
Robert Huffman
