Oboe reed knives made by Chiarugi in an assortment of options. Crafted from high-quality steel with hardwood handles. These are great quality knives at affordable prices for students and professionals alike.
Sometimes people will ask me about reed knives, which ones I like, which one I think is best, and which one I recommend. I have certain knives that I use a lot, and some that I use only on occasion, this is not because I think some are inherently better than others, but because I find that some work better for certain scrapes, and some work better others. The analogy I often use is that reed knives are like paintbrushes, a painter has a lot to choose from, different stages of the artwork will require a different brush. The initial covering of the canvas with paint requires a different tool than the final details of a person’s face. I often use a heavy beveled knife to initially scrape off the outer layers of bark, but I do not tend to use that same knife when finishing the tip of oboe reeds. This is not to say that a reed cannot be made with one knife alone, but I prefer to used a few different blades at different stages in the process.
Beveled reed knife- A must have for removing the ears off oboe reed blanks. I used beveled reed knives to removed bark and scrape oboe reeds on the first day of scraping.
Wedge reed knife/double hollow ground- the wedge style knife by Chiarugi is a great “all around” knife that can quickly remove cane from the outer layers, but is light enough to make the final tip adjustments of the reed making process.
Single hollow ground reed knife- Similar to the beveled knife, but is ground to be concave on the bottom side.
Razor knife- has a very thin spine, and a very light blade. Some people used for clipping the tip of the reed on a cutting block. Can take on a defined burr when used with a burnishing rod, which can be wonderful for tip work and defining the different sections of the reed.
Pen knife- similar to the razor knife, but shorter. A great, compact reed knife to have in your oboe case for adjusting reeds while not at your reed desk.
Oboe reed sanitation against Corona Virus (Covid19).
Oboe reed sanitation is something that every reed maker must be familiar with when selling reeds to the public. Reed makers must try and adjust every oboe reed or English horn reed I made to ensure proper function. I traditionally use Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) for a few reasons
HP seems to be more gentle on the vascular bundles/cell integrity of the cane.
Hydrogen Peroxide is made up of 2 atoms of hydrogen, and 2 atoms of oxygen (H2O2).Hydrogen Peroxide decomposes to become water (H2O) and oxygen which are non-reactive, and have no taste.
HP seems to be a great cleaner for older reeds that may need revitalization, making it a substance that all double reed players should have on-hand.
Due to the recent covid-19 (corona virus) outbreak I have made a switch to using both Hydrogen peroxide along with Isopropyl Alcohol to disinfect oboe reeds and English horn reeds. Northampton MA has not yet had any cases of Covid-19, however I am approaching my sanitation process as though I have already been in contact with the virus.
Soak reeds in alcohol for 30 seconds, remove from alcohol and let let the alcohol drain through the staple.
Let reeds sit for 3 minutes and then dip the reeds in fresh distilled water to rinse off alcohol.
Allow reeds to dry fully away from reedmaking station (4-12 hours).
Wash hands thoroughly.
Place reeds in hydrogen peroxide for 30 seconds, remove from HP allow excess liquid to flow through the staple then shake excess moisture from the reed. Allow reeds to dry full
Wash hands and insert reeds into their packages for shipping.
The Covid-19 virus can survive on surfaces for 4-72 hours.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces. As an added precaution I am allowing reeds at least 3 days to reach their destination after being packaged. This ensures that if the inside of the package was contaminated, the virus will spend enough time in the packaging to die. I will not expedite shipping until further notice, and packages expected to reach their destination within 1-2 days will be held 24-48 hours before being shipped.
Further precautions for oboe reed customers
Packages being delivered may have been touched by many hands during transit. Customers wanting to take further precautions upon receipt of their oboe reeds may wish to take these steps.
Allow packages being delivered to sit for 72 hours before being handled.
Wash hands after opening your packages and before trying oboe or English horn reeds. Be careful not to touch the reeds directly after touching the outside of the shipping box.
Reeds can be sterilized again in a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution.
Avoid sharing reeds.
I am very appreciative for all the support that I have received from my customers over the years. I am grateful that we are able to help one another to play the instrument we love and be happy oboe-ing.
-Aaron Lakota
The approximate current wait time is always listed on the front page of the website the bottom of this page, and along the top of each page on non-mobile devices. Please be sure to check the current wait time before placing an order.
Why is there a wait time?
I love making reeds and devote a very large part of my life to my profession as a reed maker. There are a lot of steps that go into making oboe reeds which can be read about here. I have worked very hard to develop efficient methods that allow me to craft hundreds of reeds each month to help my customers to enjoy playing the instrument we love so much. I love that I am able to help so many oboists of all levels! I ask my customers to understand that in the day of next day deliveries with large businesses, I am just one person working to improve my craft and desire to bring you the best oboe reeds.
Along with the crafting of each reed I am also solely responsible to answer any customer service questions, package and ship the orders, manage inventory, and do any other tasks that are needed to be done in the process of getting you high-quality oboe reeds. I currently devote 50-70 hours per week toward my business. When I have a lot of orders I devote a lot of time to making those reeds, but also more time towards answering questions and shipping those reeds. As demand gets high every part of the process becomes more laborious which adds time to the whole process. You can help to keep the wait down by noting the lead time before ordering and letting me know of any shipping delays outside of that timeframe, not within it. Every customer email about when reeds will arrive is time away from making reeds. I will gladly help with orders that may have been lost in the mail, or have problems for some other reasons. I want to provide the best customer service possible. If the lead time is 2 weeks and you have not received your reeds after 4 weeks, please do email me and I will help to identify if there is a problem and prioritize solving it. When the wait is 4 weeks and I am emailed after 2 there is most likely not any problem with the order.
The current lead time is a fairly accurate estimate of how long it will take from the time of your order to when I will ship that order. The lead time can be anywhere from 5 days up to 3 months depending on demand. I really want to get you your reeds as soon as possible! I do not like to keep customers waiting, I realize how frustrating it can be to need to plan so far in advance. I really do everything I can to keep your wait as short as possible.
How can I be sure I have reeds when I need them?
My suggestion is to order reeds when you still have plenty of working reeds in your reed case. I advise my students to always have at least 3 good reeds at a time. This means you should order oboe reeds long before you only have 3 working reeds. You or your oboist will be very disappointed if you wait until you have one working reed left when you place an order and realize it will be a month or more until you receive those reeds. If you have an important recital or concert coming up be sure to place you order as soon as you know about the event. I take the responsibility of providing you the best oboe reeds I can make, I hope you will take responsibility to plan ahead for all your oboe reed needs.
Current estimated wait time is 7-8 weeks for oboe family reeds, and 7-10 days on processed cane.
