Reeds Advice on Reed Disposal

cheetah_1802 · Jan 22, 2008

Hi,

My son has recently started learning the alto sax at school. I apologise if this question sounds a bit thick, but with all the recent emphasis on responsible disposal on all rubbish, what is the sensible way to dispose of saxophone reeds? I wondered if they count as a recyclable material, or should they just be thrown in general household waste?

Thanks

spike · Jan 22, 2008

Sax reeds are made from the stems of the Arundo Donax which belongs to the grass family, I have no doubt they're treated with something or other, however, I think they must be classified as old bits of wood. As a part time rock gardner my old reeds get chucked in the stove, on the compost heap, or in the bio-degradable bin whichever is closest at the time. I also use them as identity tags for unusual and exotic plants whose latin names I would otherwise forget.
hope to have helped - gruss - spike

Pete Thomas · Jan 22, 2008

Good question.

They'd be good firewood, but probably a bit to hard for composting although they could just be added to a mulch like the treebark stuff you get.

But as they are mostly organic material, I don't think they pose much of a threat to the environment. Some have a plastic sticker which could be peeled off.

Bobby G · Jan 22, 2008

Plant tags, never thought of that! Usually mine end up being returned to the earth one way or another. It's the plastic reed-protectors that are a bigger problem.

suethesax · Jan 22, 2008

I burn the reeds. Alexanders don't have plastic covers, they come in light carboard in a tin so both recyclable.

phil_edwards · Jan 22, 2008

Plant tags, great idea. If I start saving old ones I'll have the (keen gardener) wifes Xmas pressie sorted.

regards, Phil

blues_growler · Jan 22, 2008

In my forth coming DVD, a guide to blues improvisation, provisionally entitled "Breaking dem licks outa de scales" I also address the problem of what to do with old reeds in the section "Amaze your dinner guests with tooth picks fashioned from discarded reeds". Other tips will include "How, with some aluminum foil perforated by a pin, you can convert your crook into a crack pipe" DVD Coming Soon, Watch this Space !

Bobby G · Jan 22, 2008

Sue, I use Alexanders too, but I have a lot of old Rico plastic thingies left over, there's only so many you can put your Alexanders in.

Phil, that is a brilliant idea, my wife/life partner/significant other/goil is a keen gardener too...

Blues Growler, put me down for one of those DVD's when it comes out!

jools · Jan 23, 2008

Disposing? - hmm. I've never thrown away a reed in my life. For some reason I keep them all. I have shoeboxes full. They get graded into 'dead' 'vintage' and 'pearls'. Eventually, a few have become toothpicks, or I use them to clean grolies out of the sax.

Bobby G · Jan 23, 2008

Hmmm, really the only ones I actually throw are the ones that are damaged beyond playability, so it's not that many; I may not have shoeboxes full, but my sax case is fairly stuffed. Any stuffy duffers go back in the box for later experimentation >:)

I have some that seem to have lasted for months, these are the ones that have reached some kind of mellow maturity (I call them my old gits 😉) and have plenty of life left in them if you give them a rest now and then.

Guitar strings, that's another matter; unless they actually break I hang on to them, at one time I had a large flat box containing used strings sorted by gauge, all in order. When I've been rich and famous and get down on my luck they'll end up on ebay.

griff136 · Jan 24, 2008

I cut them lengthwas and use them for applying contact adhesive to clarinet tenons etc and for glueing cork and felt etc.

Bobby G · Jan 24, 2008

Also (thanks for the tip Griff) an old reed is a good thing to use as a wedge between the pad and tonehole when making small adjustments to fix leaks.