Woodwind Shrinkage

[Scott Hirsch <WQEditor@aol.com>]

I could use some commentary.  Let me introduce myself first.  My name is
Scott Hirsch and I edit a small journal, The Woodwind Quarterly.  (A
publication directed at repair technicians and makers of woodwinds.) A
recent article, Grenadilla Wood and the Environment by Larry Naylor, was
published in our August issue. The author has taken exception to some
minor editing that happened (with his verbal approval), prior to
publication.  It is the only time in recent issues that any change,
however minor, was not directly reviewed by the author.  A mistake I won't
repeat.  I am now receiving criticism from Larry Naylor for these changes
that our proofer made for clarity. 

The only concrete example that Mr. Naylor has been able to articulate, is
in reference to the following sentence: 

"The dry hole condition is smaller than the manufactured condition hole,
while the wet hole condition is the largest." 

In other words, bore diameters decrease with a lose of moisture and are
smaller than the original diameter, assuming they were constructed in a
higher humidity environment.  The author says; that is not exactly how he
worded it, and it's not true. 

The author claims that when an instrument looses moisture, it contracts
into itself, which would increase the instruments bore diameter. 

Is this possible?  I can't quite see how a wooden tube can loose water and
increase in diameter.  Boards and wooden squares and all sorts of wooden
shapes clearly lose size when they lose water content.  Is a tube
different? Distort and move towards an oval in cross-section maybe, but
not get bigger. 
 
I thought I would throw this out to this list and get feed back from the
experts because I am surely not an expert.  Also, if possible, I would
like to have permission to print responses, in the next issue of the WQ. 
If you would rather not just say so.  I stand ready to be corrected on my
interpretation of what happens when wooden bores loose moisture content. 

I might mention the article was written to explain how wooden instruments,
and grenadilla clarinets in particular, should be oiled only with organic
oils.  Mr. Naylor sternly advises against using petroleum products or
other non-organic oils.  His suggested formula for bore oil (which he
sells) is: 

3 parts olive oil
1 part pharmaceutical grade almond oil
1/10 of 1% (or more) pure vitamin E (to prevent oxidation)

So far, I have received a few comments on the formula including someone
who thinks it would be good in a salad.  Does anybody have a
recommendation for a general purpose bore oil?  Is this a hotly debated
subject?  Is there a consensus in the conservation field on how to
maintain wooden instrument that are in daily use?

I hope to hear from Cary and all of you who may have some thoughts on this
subject. Thank you in advance. 

Scott Hirsch, Editor
The Woodwind Quarterly
1513 Old CC Rd.
Colville, WA 99114
e-mail: WQEditor@aol.com