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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Therapy for MB Comb
Therapy for MB Comb
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rabbit
88 posts
Mar 26, 2010
10:04 AM
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Have a MB in Bb.
Love the deep rattle in it's sound.
Hate the swollen comb & the tongue wounds
the accompany it.
Harp had dried from sitting unused ( a long time.)
I shaved the comb down with a utility knife.
(A more careful, sophisticated approach is warranted
next time, these tines are delicate.)
Soaked the whole harp, fully assembled in mineral oil for 24 hours.
Let it drip dry and shaved the tines again. Rinsed in warm water.
Seems to be controlling the comb dimensionally.
Harp sounds ever-so-slightly darker, but O.K.
Your mileage may vary.
Be careful to remove all shavings so as not to inhale!
Last Edited by on Mar 26, 2010 10:05 AM
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toddlgreene
1104 posts
Mar 26, 2010
10:37 AM
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No, it's not toxic, but too much of it goes down your throat, and you'll be a 'regular guy'. Very regular.
I'm content with the salad bowl finish on mine.
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Todd L Greene. V.P.
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harmonicanick
696 posts
Mar 26, 2010
4:02 PM
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@rabbit
Why do you guys play MB's with wood comb's?
The tone is not better
They are a lot of hassle, 'shaving' wtf is that all about
'Tongue wounds' for gawds sake this is playing an instrument not s&m
Seriously, if you play a wood comb you have to be a 'dry' player, thats no beer etc etc!
I, personally enjoy imbibing the odd beverage whilst doing a gig, therefore I play plastic comb harps and they are Golden Melody.
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DeakHarp
10 posts
Mar 26, 2010
4:32 PM
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Bees Wax works for me ...All Natural ... As far as the wood tearing up yur lips ..It will do that if you dont play atleast 20 Hours a week .. Im a Marine Band Man.. I learned that from my teacher ... James Cotton ..The tone of the wood is the best ...
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isaacullah
894 posts
Mar 26, 2010
5:00 PM
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I like mineral oil too. Non toxic, not goopy, not sticky, and not as messy. Works pretty well too. YMMV.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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7LimitJI
54 posts
Mar 26, 2010
5:25 PM
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Googled mineral oil. I wouldn't use it !!
Mineral oil is taken orally as a lubricative laxative, and is often prescribed to ease the pain of bowel movements for those who suffer from hemorrhoids and constipation. In Europe the use of mineral oil as laxative is considered obsolete mainly due to its potentially harmful effects on the lungs if accidentally aspirated.
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The Harpist formerly known as Doggycam
Those Dangerous Gentlemens Myspace
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rabbit
89 posts
Mar 26, 2010
6:21 PM
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I was experimenting to see if I could salvage my relationship
with MB's.
The mineral oil goes into the wood, not into your body.
Remarkable degree of studly courage and imagination on
display here.
If it turns out bad I'll report. So far so good. Shavings
potentially more dangerous than the oil, but no problem
yet with the care I've shown.
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oldwailer
1154 posts
Mar 26, 2010
7:06 PM
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MB is my all-time favorite harp. That said--I can't stand to play them much before I rip out the wooden comb and replace it with a composite or (my real favorite) plexiglass.
I round the combs off the way most of the customizers do it--so it doesn't tear my lips up and it doesn't dig into my hands with razor-sharp corners. I get the wonderful sound of a MB without the pain.
Some people of course, like Dr Adam, like the pain of OOTB harps--I guess those people just have bigger balls than I do.
I do not believe that a plastic comb on a MB harp makes any measurable difference in sound quality. That is my opinion, of course. . .
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CaptainBolide
23 posts
Mar 27, 2010
1:05 AM
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General Finishes-Butcher Block Oil is mineral oil that is food safe.
its label offers use on wood bowls and spoons, etc.
is this the same stuff?
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####[C][a][p][t][B][o][l][i][d][e]####
````\``,`,``,,`,``,``,,`,``,``,,`,`,,/````
Last Edited by on Mar 27, 2010 1:09 AM
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7LimitJI
57 posts
Mar 27, 2010
2:56 AM
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There are lot of things you can eat, that you don't want to inhale.
Inhalation of mineral oil is mentioned as potentially harmful.
Sucking air through a harp that has been soaked in mineral oil is a great way of getting it in your lungs.
Why take the risk when there are other safer methods?
But at the end of the day, most of the things I enjoy are potentially harmful.
So, I'm not preaching, just bringing it to your attention :o)
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The Harpist formerly known as Doggycam
Those Dangerous Gentlemens Myspace
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MP
113 posts
Mar 27, 2010
2:26 PM
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i like salad bowl finish. dave payne at elk river harmonicas does a youtube on it. great stuff.
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rabbit
90 posts
Mar 27, 2010
4:15 PM
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Cranky? Who, me?
Sorry.
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Ryan
253 posts
Mar 27, 2010
9:09 PM
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You let the mineral oil completely dry and set before you put the harp back together, so I don't really see how you could possibly inhale the mineral oil. Obviously you're not going to be sucking on the harp while the mineral oil is still dripping off the comb.
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isaacullah
904 posts
Mar 28, 2010
7:25 PM
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Hey, I'm into "green" products. I want a non-toxic, food-grade, low or no VOC product that will do a good job at keeping my harp combs from swelling while being healthy for me and good for the environment. I also want it to be easy to apply, and not to affect the longevity of my harps (which nixes beeswax and sticky varnishes like salad bowl finish). I think Mineral Oil has been a pretty good solution to this, but just for fun, I did a little googling, and came up with these organic, plant-based, food grade butcher's-block-oil equivalents: AFM Naturals Clear Oil--Food Grade and BioShield Herbal Oil (2) Food Grade. They are supposed to have very low off-gassing, and are completely safe to put in your mouth. They are meant to make wood water resistant/proof, too. The second one might actually taste pretty pleasant.
So if you have a green builder's supply near you (they are popping up all over the place these days), these products might be a pretty good option!
Cheers,
Isaac
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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pharpo
239 posts
Mar 28, 2010
7:34 PM
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Before you seal it with whatever you choose (some folks use varathane acrylic..it's non toxic after it dries)...round off the edges of the tines..it will feel much better.
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Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
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