I have a old clariet, from the 1940s, with 75% pure silver keys on it that are not starting to look rusty and dull.

I live near the beach so I use to think it was the sea air doing it to the keys but now I`m not sure. I`ve tried polishing them but they still look bad.

Right now it`s awaiting shipping to my old repairman in Wisconsin, I live in florida, because I don`t trust anyone but him to over haul the instrument, strip and put new pads on/fix bent keys/etc.

But I thought I`d ask here first to see if anyone knew or had a suggestion as to why it`s doing that now.

It hasn`t been played for a while so I know it`s not finger grease.

Thanks in advance for anything you think of.

Well- I am just making a blanket statement since I don`t know the make/model of your clarinet, but I`m pretty sure what you have is German silver. German silver is an alloy, and doesn`t actually contain any real silver in it. Older clarinets` keys are almost if not fully made out of this alloy. In any case, it could be the change in humidity, the place you`re storing it, the cloth or substance you have in your case that might`ve been added recently(the sulfur in rubber bands oxidizes silver). Heck... even pineapple juice is a slow rate oxidizer.

Bradley

Also- the "finger grease" is called sebum Different people have different content in their sebum, and therefore some people wear away real silver plating more quickly.

I live in wisonsin too, and am looking for a trustable and skiilled repariman for my R-13
could you please email me his name and some contact information, ( ps Todd Levvy would also like to know -todd levvy is principal clar in milwaukee symphony orchestra)

Thanks

As for your question, i think bradley may be right
A solution is to have your instruments keys replated with either :
1) Copper with nickel plated finish
2) Nickel plating
3)silver plating
4)silver with nickel plating (dont ask why but yes its out there)
5)14k gold plating
6)18k golod plating
7) nickel with clear lacquer
8)silver with clear laquer
9) gold with clear laquer

Note that these services are complicated, and hard to find