A complete list of everything you need to start adjusting and making your own oboe and bassoon reeds.
Essential Tool List:
- Knife
- Plaque
- Cutting Block
- Sharpening Stone
- Mandrel
- Razor Blades/Tip Cutter
- Rag or piece of old shirt (for scraping/stone)
- Tuner (for checking pitch)
- Reed Making Book (optional, but helpful!)
- Rigotti Reed Knife Beveled Edge (Rh or Lh)
or Double Hollow Ground Knife
Plaque (consider buying a couple in case you lose one)
- Oboe: Flat Blue Steel Oboe Plaque
(with rounded tips)
- Bassoon: Plastic or Wood Contoured Bassoon Plaque
- Wood Reed Cutting Block
1 ¼” diameter
Sharpening Stone
- India Pocket Stone
(for on-the-go use)
- Norton 1-by-2-by-8-Inch Fine/Coarse India Combination stone
- Honing Oil/Lighter Fluid
(to clean the stone only)
Mandrel
Oboe: Oboe Mandrel
- Bassoon: Rigotti Short Bassoon Mandrel or Fox Short Bassoon Mandrel
Razor Blades (oboe)/Tip Cutter (bassoon)*
- Razor Blades, 100 Pack
- Bassoonists often prefer a Tip Cutter
*you can use the end of your knife to cut the tip of a reed, however this will wear your knife out sooner, risk causing chips in your knife, and won’t result in the necessary precision
Sandpaper (bassoon only)
Needle Nose Pliers
Other Reed Making Tools (necessary when you start tying your own reeds)
- Oboe: FF Nylon Thread, 47 mm Brass Staples, Gouged/Shaped/Folded Practice Cane, Beeswax, Ruler
- Bassoon: Forming Mandrel (long mandrel), Cotton Twine, FF Nylon Thread, Drying Rack, Exacto Knife, Easel, Gouged/Shaped/Profiled Practice Cane, Duco Cement, 22 Gauge Wire
Books
- Oboe: The Reed Maker’s Manual: Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Oboe and English Horn Reeds
- Bassoon: Bassoon Reed Making by Mark Popkin and Loren Glickman $25
- Rigotti Standard Tool Kit or Basic Tool Kit for Oboe
or Bassoon
*sharpening stone and honing oil not included and will need to be purchased separately (stone is $13-25 extra)
Full Oboe Tool Kit: Includes all necessary tools for making your own reeds, in addition to doing adjustments $99 or $113- Forrests Oboe Reed Tool Kit

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