I'm just starting out with this system- it's not so easy! I'm ready to share with anyone who's interested.

Double reed...??? I played trombone and a tiny little bit on the guitar...not sure I'm familiar with double reeds.

Not much of an oboe guy, xume720?

Okay back on topic... I'm not familiar either, anyone want to give a primer for the rest of us?

Not sure what you guys are asking about. I believe this section is for those who use reed knives to make their own double reeds for their instruments - oboes, bassoons, etc. A double reed is a reed having two blades to it, unlike reeds for say a clarinet or saxophone where the reed is a single blade.

EDIT: If what I said above is the case, it might make sense to rename this forum to "Reed Knives" or "Reed Knives - Double Reed Makers" or the like.

~Dan

Just to go a bit further,reeds are made from high quality, straight grained cane. Double reeds are as the name indicates, two reeds shaped to fit symmetrically face to face and the ends fastened tightly so the two become one reed so to speak.
Professional and enthusiasts like to make their own reeds from blanks they can buy and shape them to their own specs. Double reed players are very fussy about their reeds because small difference in construction can have a great effect on the sound and on the way the musician plays. The reeds can be adjusted by cutting and thinning so as to customize them for the individual player. The process requires a very sharp tool and a great deal of skill and patience, so the WEPS will have an important role to play in the customizing of these reeds...not just double but also single reeds...although clarinet and sax reeds are cheap and readily available, still many players shave and clip their reeds to better suit them. I play the clarinet but not well enough to fuss over my reeds! LOL!
So the double reeds include the oboes, the bassoons, English horns and let us not forget the bagpipes.
Just for clarification, my two cents worth.

Cheers
Leo

DannyBoy2k wrote:

I agree with Dan's suggestion regarding renaming this section of the Forum. Good point Dan!
Leo

Leo, good point about single reeds being inexpensive and readily available. I spent quite a few years in the musical arts (sax player here!) but never really fussed over reeds beyond picking a particular brand and breaking them in. I hadn't heard of folks making their own until just now, but that's definitely cool!

Both single reed and double reed players use them. Whether single or double reed, the reed must be symmetrical. The knife is used to shave very small amounts of the reed to even it up side to side as well as to reduce thickness of the reed as needed. The amount of material removed could be done with 100 grit sandpaper in a few seconds. The knife if is more precise and leaves a smoother finish. It is like whittling dust.

I played clarinet and every reed required very minor adjustments.

The reed knife I had was a very thick (1/4 ") single bevel. About 3" long or so. I had also seen less expensive thin, concave, razor like knives.

DannyBoy2k wrote:


Good catch... I sent the request to Clay to make this section "Reed Knives". At least now we know what a double reed is!

Hello Anne,

Welcome to the Wicked Edge Double Reed Forum. Why don't you introduce yourself and talk about your experiences using Wicked Edge with reed knives? The knife enthusiasts find us an interesting lot. We certainly bring a different perspective to this art.

There is a lot of valuable information in this forum - some specifically for oboists / reed players and some about knife sharpening in general.

Happy reed making!

Robert