HAUTBOIS FUTÉ
The Practical Guide to the Student Maintenance Kit
This guide was designed to help you in your daily life after your workshop at hautboisfute.ch. It lists the essential items you should keep in your case to prevent 95% of common problems and keep your oboe performing at its best.
1. Emergency Tools for Adjustments
| Tool | Technical Specifications | Frequent Use |
| Watchmaker’s screwdriver | Sizes 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm, straight (flat) drive, rotating head. | Adjust the octave key screws (right/left hand) without damaging the screw heads. |
| Mylar paper or ultra-thin cigarette paper | (10–20 microns), glue-free (e.g., Rizla Croix) | Dry out water under the octave keys and test the seals of the pads. |
| Mini hook | (1 or 1.5 mm, available at a haberdashery store). | Replace a needle spring that has popped out of its notch during assembly. |
| Octave box remover | Tool with adjustable-width tips | Unscrew the rings from the octave boxes. |
| Precision oil | Medium- to high-viscosity synthetic oil. (e.g., Yamaha (Medium or Heavy Key Oil) | Lubricate the key pins and stems as soon as they start making noise and as part of routine maintenance. |
2. Cleaning & Preservation Supplies
Silk Swabs (Double-String)
- Why two? Use a thin swab exclusively for the upper body (very narrow) and a wider one for the lower body and bell.
- Absolute safety: The double string, equipped with a counterweight, allows you to pull the swab out from the bottom if it gets stuck inside the narrow bore.
Natural Goose or Turkey Feather
- Ideal for gently cleaning the reed well and instantly and effortlessly removing a drop of water trapped in the small upper channels. The effect, however, is short-lived.
Anti-Stick Powder Paper (Yamaha Powder Paper)
• Essential for eliminating the sucking or clicking noise from the G# or octave key when they become stuck closed due to saliva.
The scalpel
- Essential for finishing touches when replacing a stopper cork.
Super-fast glue
- For all repair work, such as replacing stopper corks, that requires a quick and durable result. (REAR-EX)
Spare corks
- Essential for replacing a small stopper cork that is punctured, damaged, or missing. A 0.1- or 0.2-mm sheet of reconstituted cork, more resistant to pressure and wear than natural cork, will last you a lifetime.
Pipe Cleaners
- Useful for removing old oil from the rods and cleaning the tone holes, including those of the octaves.
Vaseline
- Useful for cleaning out old oil and lubricating holes prone to moisture: octaves, trills, and other left-hand holes that often get clogged. Remove any excess that might come into contact with the pad. Always use sparingly.
3. “No Panic” Reflex Actions
| Problem | Recommended Reflex Action |
| The G note isn’t coming out, sounds muffled, or lacks projection? | Check the adjustment hierarchy of the entire left hand. Consider temporarily disabling the G/A-tip coupling to avoid any conflicts in adjustment priority. Then follow the “Smart Oboe” protocol on the website under the “Resources” tab—“Left-Hand Adjustment.” Also check to see if the spring on the G-sharp key has popped out. Use your mini hook to reinsert it into its slot. |
| A low note “gurgles” or dies out? | A drop of water has likely gotten into a bore hole. Slide a piece of cigarette paper under the affected pad, press firmly to absorb the moisture. Run the swab through. |
| The oboe is difficult to assemble? | Never force the keys; you could bend the rods between the two sections. Apply a tiny amount of grease to the cork on the tenon (from the small jar included with the oboe case) and wipe off the excess. Be sure to use the correct technique so that the metal of one section does not come into contact with the metal of the other during assembly. |
| A key is stuck? | Insert a piece of powder paper under the pad, close the key gently, and remove the paper. Repeat the process. |
| Is the first octave key stuck closed? | Check the condition of the pad. The indentation may be so deep in the cork that it sticks and gets caught on the metal ring. If this is the case, sand it down slightly to reduce the depth of the indentation, replace it, or have it replaced when the opportunity arises. On the latest-generation oboes, and if you’ve performed maintenance on the octave mechanisms, check that when reassembling, you’ve positioned the first octave spring correctly under the key—not on top of it! |
| The A key is sluggish? | Check whether the problem is actually with the A key itself or if it’s related to the small bridge located just below it that connects it to the G-sharp rod. If the noise-reducing cork hidden under this bridge is dirty and old, it will stick and prevent the A key from functioning properly. Otherwise, run a piece of powdered paper under the A pad or strengthen the spring by slightly increasing its curvature. |
| The F#/G# trills don’t work or break off? | Check whether the G# pad makes sufficient contact with the oboe when this note is played with the F# (C lever). To do this, slide the tip of a cigarette paper under the G#. While pressing the C and G# keys, check with a piece of cigarette paper under the key (or under the screw just above it) to see if it slides out easily. If so, tighten the corresponding screw slightly for a few minutes (clockwise) and recheck until it offers the proper resistance. If the F# becomes difficult to play, you’ve tightened it too much. |
| You’ll encounter the same problem between B and low C# (at the beginning of *Le Tombeau de Couperin*) and C#/D# when they’re crossed or during a trill? | Identify which pad is responsible for this crossing and check its contact with the wood. If it’s loose, you’ve found the problem. Carefully tighten the screw to correct it. |
| The high C-sharps are unstable and out of tune? | While playing the high C-sharp, perform a slow trill on the E lever and see if that makes a difference. If so, close it slightly using the screw located on the edge of the low C key. This will resolve the problem. |
| Water got into one of my octave keys right in the middle of a concert? | Instead of blowing forcefully under the key, wait for a moment when you’re not playing to—without removing the reed—separate the upper body from the rest of the instrument. With a finger of your right hand, cover the bottom of the bore, and with your left hand, cover all the holes as if playing a G. Inhale forcefully through the reed while pressing the gurgling octave key (1, 2, or 3) in quick, successive bursts until you no longer hear any interference in the faint sound of the air. Reassemble your instrument. With practice, this will take you exactly 20 seconds. This method is far more effective and long-lasting than any other, and your immediate neighbors will be very grateful. Remember, though, to maintain your octave mechanisms! |
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