1. Cutting brass wire to length for tube-forming. Use a commercial toe-nail clipper (in USA and Canada, Revlon or Gem brands are excellent). Hold wire along the side of the cutter, pull to a length just short of the bottom end of cutter, insert wire between cutter teeth at the very side edge and cut. The wire piece should be almost exactly 3 inches long.

2. To return reed blades to a straight position after they have been accidentally moved off center (possibly by twisting the reed too hard when removing from a mandrel, etc.):

1. moisten reed in warm water for 1 minute;
2. hold reed in hands (only), left hand holding reed from the sides at wire 1, right hand (mostly thumb and forefinger) holding the butt end of the reed at the very bottom,
3. while steadying the reed at wire 1 twist the reed slightly at the butt in a clock-wise direction (you will instinctively push or twist in the opposite direction with the hand at wire 1): if the reed blades move away farther out of line, you are twisting in the wrong direction. Merely reverse the direction of the twist.

When the twist moves the reed blades towards straightening, continue to twist until you achieve a slipping on the opposite side of the reed from the first off center slipping. This is to assure that when the tube section is released, the blades will return only to the straight in line position and will not just untwist back to the first (out of line) position. This procedure may be safely performed either before or after the string binding is put on the reed, and it is much preferable to pushing back the blades only, an almost impossible job.

3. Cutting the corners of the reed tip. We usually cut a small equilateral triangle off the sharp corner at the right and left extreme tip of the reed for two good reasons: (1) to protect the corners from damage if we lightly bump them against something (a music stand, for example), and (2) to avoid any discomfort in the mouth or tongue which might be caused by a very sharp-angled reed comer. But at least one famous German reedmaker cut his reed corners at a slightly unequal angle (see the drawing). Kurt Ludwig reeds sometimes (not always) show this distinctly unorthodox cut. I believe it was made purposely to attain a third advantage (for the corner): (a) The widest point of the reed is at "A" in the drawing--it assures good bass response on the instrument (long fibers producing lower vibrations). The narrower section between points "B" and "B" in the drawing, allows a quicker opening and shutting of the reed blades in performance, particularly in rapid staccato applications. Try it.

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