saxmaniac
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An Octave Key Pad QuestionI know that on clarinets the octave key pad is usually made of cork, because it doesn't rot as fast as leather pads do. Would it be a good idea to have this done on all of the octave key pads on a saxophone? Gas this ever been done before?
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Bariman
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Not that I recall. I believe octave pads on saxes have always been just that, pads.
Bariman
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JPSaxMan
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Yea, pads on the sax are leather pads, like the ones throughout the instrument...and I'm pretty sure on my clarinet the pad is a pad  ??:
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saxmaniac
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What I meant was would it be a good idea to make the octave key pads on a saxophone out of cork, so that they don't rot as quickly?
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JPSaxMan
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Not really, because cork also has the natural ability to expand/swell due to humidity, climate changes 
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Bariman
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Cork also has the tendency to ship, and would be a pain to make sure it seals properly. If it dosen't, players, especially unexperienced ones, will have a lot of problems.
Bariman
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Doc Frazier
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In the 30's and 40's, there was a sax pad that was called a TONEX pad. Totally synthetic. They went away because techs didn't like the fact that you had to make sure that the tonehole AND key had to be perfectly level.
There is a pad currently for clarinet that is synthetic. It is made from a material designed by NASA. It will withstand temps from -50F to +500F, will not rot or feed the little weevals that eat skin pads and actual make the clarinet project more! You have to make sure everything is level and a lot easier to check for leaks. I have had no complaints in the last 10 years using them. The pads have a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.
I have used them for octave pads on saxes and they work great.
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