Replacing Cork on neck piece.

[Saxissexy]

Can anyone help with a problem (I think I have one!) The cork on my neck that that holds the mouth piece is very worn. It seems to leak air when I play and a bit of saliva comes out of it. Am I able to replace this my self and if so where do I purchase a new one from.

 

[stefank]

It's supposed to be easy to do, but given my propensity for bungling such jobs I always have it professionally done. In the meantime, teflon tape (such as plumbers use) is your friend. Cheap, effective, and (above all else) easy to use.

 

[Saxissexy]

Thanks

It's supposed to be easy to do, but given my propensity for bungling such jobs I always have it professionally done. In the meantime, teflon tape (such as plumbers use) is your friend. Cheap, effective, and (above all else) easy to use.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[kevgermany]

You can try applying gentle heat, this makes the cork swell back to it's original size - either the steam from a kettle or the flame of a cigarette lighter. Be careful of the laquer ont he neck.

If this doesn't do the trick, (it did for me and a year on, it's still OK) there are good instructions online, for instance here: http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/HandyHints/Recorking_crooks.htm

The rest of the site is highly recommended as well.

 

[Taz]

As Kev said, if the cork is not damaged, it's just flat, then try a little steam heat. You won't need much so be careful.
Like Stefank said though, it's not hard to replace the cork. You can either buy a preformed "cone" of cork that you just glue into place (Don't ask me what sort of glue to use) or you can buy a flat strip of cork and do a true DIY job. If you have a tech nearby, I don't think they charge much either. Failing that, PM Griff136, he' our resident tech and see what he suggests.
If your cork is damaged and you want to carry on playing then you could just wrap a small piece of paper around the cork. It may just fill the gaps!
Best of luck.

 

[izzy_tenor_sax]

I've been doing work experience at a repairers this week and there's 2 things I've learned about cork:

1) if you want to do it yourself, its an easy job, but if you've never done it before you should probably find someone who knows what they're talking about to show you how to do it
2) if you don't want to do it yourself, then it won't cost very much to have a professional do it