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Wow, I've seen no better tribute to Harold Gomberg than yours, Brian. He was also my teacher from 1967-1971. What he taught was bigger than the oboe and it helped me even when I was studying my current instrument, the ney, in Istanbul from 2010-2013. Thanks for this video, I cherish it!

Strangely enough you don't mention the fully automatic one with Just one octave key

Lots of great points for people new to the oboe.

thanks man ! lotsa bs about beveled knife sharpening out there. this aint that😄👍

I don't like "Student" oboes and I have my students drop that money on a very old professional oboe that works well and avoid the forked F conundrum. Student models on other instruments are not missing any of the keys. None of them. I understand it's to make them lighter and more durable, but a the keywork isn't any more durable, and the student is still gonna have to fight with it. They may as well fight with an old Rigoutat, which I can probably get them for les than a new YOB-241. It will take them a LOT longer. They won't need to upgrade ever unless they want to become a performer, in which case, they will have learned all the right fingerings on a professional model oboe.

Thanks. This is a great learning video I can share with my students.

Thanks.

Hi! Is a selmer signet conservatory oboe good for a beginner?

Spinach in your teeth... unsightly. Spinach in your reed... Inexcusable. ;-) Brush and rinse before you play the oboe. There.

Y not josef

Fossati MB for me!

Interesting that you don't include Hiniker or Puchner in your recommendations. I would take either of those over a Loree any day.

Very straightforward and helpful advice.

What about pheasant feathers? Will those work just as well?

Excuse me! Can you consultant for me should buy product line oboe for beginner play good?

What is that red instrument with the peg in the beginning of the video

Very helpful and well made video! Thanks! :-)

Do you have any used Laubin oboes for sale?

I always though hollow ground is where the bevel is established then a small (tiny) grinding orb removes the material from the bevel mirroring the radius of the grinding orb. i.e. you need a machine shop of some sort to follow the edge as it is ground. Not the circumference of a large grinding wheel either but the radius of maybe a 1 or 2 mm dremel bit.

With a clarinet you pull a cloth through on a string. Could you do that with an oboe or are feathers more affective?

Any diamond sharpening stone can be useful? or you recommends me a specific brand

Much appreciated! Very good information, a great help. :)

A very fine explanation. THANK YOU.

I don't recommend "regrinding" as the higher heat produced when grinding a significant amount of metal from the blade will alter the blades temper. It may render the knife useless. Sometimes, a new knife is the way to go.

Could you possibly make a video on regrinding reed knives?

In this video, you don't create a burr for this knife. I'm just approaching reed making, and the knife sharpening aspect is the most difficult for me. So, to be clear, you don't put a burr on the beveled style knife? Thanks.

That can definitely result in the uneven wearing also. I find I get a good edge on the knife using a combination of the 1x2x6 fine diamond stone combined with a 1x2x8 fine India oil stone and just placing the blade on the stone at an angle to keep it in constant contact. It seems to wear pretty even using this method (assuming pressure is even along the entire blade as you pointed out). Thanks for all the great supplies you keep in stock. It helps out the process immensely. :)

I like a somewhat rougher edge to my knives personally, but for a feather smooth polish, a 6000 grit waterstone will be perfect!

Well the knife I have is an Edmund nielson double hollow ground wedge knife and i have a diamond stone love it but would it be wise to use a 6000 grit waterstone after?

As to the water stone - I prefer the diamond for ease of use, but Japanese water stones produce a beautiful fine finish, and may actually be somewhat more desirable.

You are correct. I've tried larger surface area stones, and that does help some, but I find that finger pressure on the center of the blade is also a culprit.

By wedge do you mean a razor style knife with no hollowness to the blade? If that's correct, I use the exact same technique as I do on the hollow ground. Wedge does not allow me to get as fine or long lasting a burr, but it can also chatter more than a wedge. It's a trade-off.

Sorry to take so long in response! In my experience, all things being the same other than the metal shape, they both keep an edge well. Hollow ground tends to lose its burr quickly, especially on harder cane and needs more frequent retouching.

I agree. We're moving locations now, so video is on hold for a month or more, but that sounds like a great idea.

I believe that the reason the knife wears more in the center is due to the method by which you are sharpening the knife. The middle of the knife is always in contact with the stone while the edges are not. This is exasperated with the circular sharpening pattern you showed. The knife will wear much more evenly if you angle it on the stone and keep the entire blade in contact with the stone at all times. This is the method presented in the guide by Caswell of Landwell Reek Knives.

I would like to see how you would sharpen a wedge knife and if a water stone is a good source to sharpen reed knives?

Yes. I recommend you use the same techniques, though you'll never get quite the edge results, as the block of steel is not as thin at the tip. Razor style aren't bad, they just don't match the thinness of DHG.

Is it the same to sharpen a razor knife as a HG knife?

Hi Brian - could you possibly make a video about slipping the blades of a reed? maybe you could show both what happens in the tying-on process to be set up to slip the blades, and how the blades actually get slipped when ready? This seems to be something that would really benefit from a video, rather than just a written explanation.

Ryan - If you're scraping particularly hard cane, any knife will lose its edge quicker. Double hollow ground knives don't stay sharp longer. Either knife with harder steel will keep an edge longer. The Landwell Hard knives we offer *see link in comments* are very good for those who are confident in their sharpening techniques. They hold the edge longer, but if you make a mistake, it takes much more time to fix it.

this was amazing! thanks so much!! i dont know why but my beveled knives are not keeping their edge. Do you find that double hollow ground knives stay sharp better?

I am uploading our newest videos right now. The one on beveled knives should be on our channel this very evening! Thanks for the great idea!

Can you make one for beveled knives?? Please and thank you!!