TromboneChat

I just recently acquired a Jo Ral Harmon (wah-wah) mute for bass trombone. It has several corks that you would put on a straight or cup mute, but some of them are in pretty bad shape, and so I would like to put a proper cork on it like typical Harmons have. I was going to buy a sheet of cork and cut out a new one from that, but I was looking on eBay and found that Shhhmute makes replacement corks for their practice mutes. Now, my question is would one of those replacement corks fit on a Harmon mute?

Here’s a link: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2513786421

Any responses would be much appreciated!
Thanks

I think you will need to custom-fit a length of cork to the mute's taper. A different mute is unlikely to be the same taper or size.

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:34 pm I think you will need to custom-fit a length of cork to the mute's taper. A different mute is unlikely to be the same taper or size.

That’s what I was thinking

I have one. the original cork appears to be that mixed rubber and cork gasket material. Mine is quite thin; probably only 1/8" (3 mm). Maybe that's why it keeps falling out of my bell.

BGuttman wrote: ↑Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:09 pm I have one. the original cork appears to be that mixed rubber and cork gasket material. Mine is quite thin; probably only 1/8" (3 mm). Maybe that's why it keeps falling out of my bell.

I'd clean it carefully with some kind of thinner then scuff it & glue another layer on top of that one.
Get the rubberized gasket material from an auto parts shop, probably what's on there now.

The hardest part is getting the shape correct with a continuous piece!!

Eric

BGuttman wrote: ↑Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:09 pm I have one. the original cork appears to be that mixed rubber and cork gasket material. Mine is quite thin; probably only 1/8" (3 mm). Maybe that's why it keeps falling out of my bell.

I don't have a harmon myself but looking at photos the cork material seems to be continuous.

That means the same piece of material has to perform two functions: retention and seal.

It may be possible to separate the functions. I've done that with a practice mute and it works much better.

On a practice mute, retention is done with long narrow pieces down the vertical axis of the mute. Placement isn't that critical because you have the length. (thickness is) Seal is done with a different piece wrapping around the circumference, and is placed where the bell flare requires it. The wrap isn't usually continuous because it fits between the retention pieces, but you have to adapt to the flare of the mute and the flare of the horn.

Thinner is usually better. But you may not actually need both types the same thickness.

The Harmon version has pure cork (and thicker). I have the Jo-Ral and it has the mixed rubber/cork.

Bonearzt has recommended using the mixed cork/rubber material for mute corks.

You can use pure cork, but it often is harder to bend into shape.