Bassoon Reed-making: The 3rd Stage

Stage 3: Making the Reed

• While blank is dry, ream out tube. The Popkin spiral reamer is the best reamer to use (available through Charles Double Reed or directly from Mark Popkin). Clean excess material in the bore with a small rat-tail file (available from most tool suppliers and most hardware stores). ***Always clean cane fibers off your reamer with a toothbrush after use***
• The blade edges should taper in a straight line from the top wire to the tip. This linear taper is easily achieved by filing the blade edges (Popkin). Even these blade edges using a diamond or sapphire nail file (available at drug stores).
• Sand reed blades with 400 grade wet or dry sandpaper, using an equal number of strokes in each quadrant of the blade. Use a fresh edge of sandpaper for each quadrant. I sand each quadrant 50 times, but this number may be adjusted according to the force used in sanding.
• Soak reed blank in warm water for several minutes.
• Re-ream the tube while wet. Clean out bore with rat-tail file and clean reamer with toothbrush.
• Check wire placements with rule. Using razor blade, cut shoulder 3 mm (just under 1/8 in.) above the centerline of the 1st wire. As Popkin describes it: Circumscribe the blank, taking care not to cut into the end seams. Cut back to this line at a very shallow depth; about 1/64 inch (1/2 mm).
• Smooth shoulder ledge with nail file.
• Using a pencil, mark a line on the blade 1 and 1/8 in. (28.5 mm) above the centerline of the top wire. Cut tip along this line. A Popkin or Rieger tip cutter will produce the cleanest tip. End nippers or a razor blade and cutting block will also work.
• Using super-fine sandpaper (available from me), lightly sand along tip.
• Knead blades with fingertips for 'German' tip opening. The blades should be symmetrical with more material in the center than on the sides.
• Test reed for air tightness by sucking air through the blades while blocking tube with finger. This will also flex the blades.
• Set reed aside for several days (or weeks).