One of the questions we get quite frequently is “Should I lubricate the tenon joints on my woodwind instrument?”

If the tenon has a cork, then yes, it should be lubricated with cork grease.

If the tenon joint has a cork then YES it should be lubricated with cork grease. Just a small amount will do from time to time. Too much can cause the cork to fail. (most clarinets, some piccolos and flutes, oboes)

If the tenons are metal-to-metal (like a flute), then no, they should not be lubricated.

If there is no cork and therefore is metal to metal then it should NOT be lubricated. Then tenons are designed to be a slip fit and work without lubrication. They sometimes become damaged, out of round or just become worn and need to be properly re-fit. If you try and use lubrication it will eventually pick up some dirt or a metal fragment and when you put it together can cause serious damage to the tenon. They do need to be cleaned off from time to time by just wiping them off with a clean cloth. If you experience a problem with this type of tenon you need to send it in for repair. (saxophones, bass clarinets, flutes, piccolos)