I've been using a reed knife, reed rush, and sometimes a reed trimmer. At first I was just touching up reeds, trying to make more out of a box playable, but now I've been taking Vandoren Blue Box #4s and sanding them down. I'm actually having good luck with some of them, however I'm stuggling with dynamics with these reeds, and usually dynamics is something, that I don't have to concentrate that much on. Any ideas out there? Bibimbop: I go through alot of reeds too and I'm having the same trouble finding reeds that are consistent. I used Alexanders for along time and then got fed up and switched to Zondas. Now I'm switching between Glotins, Brancher Classical Operas (which I like alot... right at the moment haha), and of course I'm still playing around with the Vandorens. Also, Bibimbop, you mentioned keeping reeds in a container with a sponge. do you keep the reeds in a case while in the container? or are they on a piece of glass? and do you keep them flat or upside down, like when you would air dry reeds? Thanks, Shaun