my method of "unsticking" pads

[Krawfish3x]

There are two methods which i use to get pads to stop sticking.

1. take a dollar bill, close the pad on it and slide it back out removing some dirt and anything that would cause it to stick.

2. when you put your saxophone away, take either a piece of cleaning paper or a tissue and put it under the pad and let it sit overnight. Remove it the next day and there you go, the pad doesnt stick anymore. I found this very effective.

Also, im not sure if it matters but maybe a pad saver has something to do with pads sticking, but this is only a thought. Could someone inform me on this?

[Gordon (NZ)]

The really problematic, sticky (waterproofed) pads even have problems with the pads which are normally open, even when they are too new to have any deposits on them.

[Carl H.]

I played a borrowed yamaha in a pit last year and went through both methods without success until I accidentally found a third method. The low c# was badly sticking but it was a 1 year old borrowed top of the line yamaha so I didn't want to do anything extreme like pad dust or #2 pencil on the seat. When it first happened out came the dollar bill, worked for 2 uses of the key. Then I tried putting a piece of paper (from photo copy) in after the show and leaving it until the next night - lasted one tune. Picked it up for the next song and it was stuck. Put the piece of paper in that night figuring one chart was better than none. Next day I got distracted and forgot about the paper till the end of the show - the thing had played all night without sticking.
Never had this problem this bad with any other instrument.

[LennyH]

I'm in awe of how well Runyon pad dope worked for me. After my pads were about a year old, they started sticking like crazy. I was using Charlie A's crud patches ever day to try to stop it. I applied this pad dope several weeks ago and I haven't had pany roblems since. Not one key has stuck on me.

Definitely worth a try.