Hi fluters,
I recently purchased a used, keyless, Hammy blackwood. The flute is in great condition except that the previous owner was a smoker. I think the flute's bore could use a light buffing...to get rid of the nicotine film.
Is there anyway I can do this without damaging the flute or should I take it to an instrument repairer? Your expert opinions would be appreciated. Jon, Terry feel free to chime in with your 2 cents.
thanks all,
Paul
Jon is the one who told me about Scotch-Brite pads. The white color provides the finest finish. They are stiff, but resilient and just buff, not really removing wood.
You can do it by hand or use a cordless drill. Get a small dowl (cleaning rod, wood or plastic, no metal!) with a hole in the end to thread the corner of the pad through (or pad can be taped to the end). I cut my Scotch-Pads into about 3-4" triangles. Then starting with the head (largest diameter first) work your way down the flute bore twisting (or spinning with a drill) and scrubbing up and down, till you get a nice finish. Then coat the bore liberally with the oil of your choice and allow to soak/sit over-night. Wipe out excess and commence to play!
Tell us something.: You just slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don't need to be coy, Roy Just get yourself free Hop on the bus, Gus You don't need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee And get yourself free
IMO opinion, Scotch brite pads are not a wise choice because the nature of the matieral is that it can snag on wood fibres causing wood tearout. This is particularly true if the grain has raised over the years and particularly on softer, less tight grained wood, or even on tight grained wood where there are any imperfections in the bore surface.
With blackwood, if the bore is defect free, you'll probably be fine using fine scotch bright. But then Mr. Murphy is always out there looking for an opportunity.......
If the bore is just mucked up a little with nicotine and spit, then a very light swabbing with acetone, paint thinner, or better yet, a simple solution of (gasp!) dish detergent and water should do the trick at de-gunking your bore. After swabbing with one of the above, let dry, and then immediately oil.
If the grain is raised and you truly need to polish the bore, that's another matter, best handles with the proper grades of sandpaper or micromesh, and better left to a professional, lest you go altering the dimensions/shape of your bore. Really, in those situations, sending the flute back to the maker for re-reaming with the original reamer, followed by a light sanding makes the bore like new. Abrasion therapy alone will not properly correct shrinkage, curvature, and ovaling (which occurs to most wooden flutes over time), it will only cure raised grain.
Also, a good point here for those who don't believe in oiling their flutes. I'm not an expert, but logic suggests that a well-oiled bore is less likely to accumulate contaminants that would eventually lead to this type of polishing requirement. If it's regularly oiled and swabbed, it's going to stay pretty pristine, probably.
Charlie Gravel
“I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.”
― Oscar Wilde
I think this way (perhaps mistakenly)--flute bores
are routinely wet. They drain, also they're swabbed.
So usually what get's in em, if anything does,
is going to be washed
and/or rubbed away, sooner or later. Other
than that I try to have as little to do with
the bore as I can.
I figure this should suffice for nicotine stains, if any.
But I don't know.
Tell us something.: I restore 19th century flutes, specializing in Rudall & Rose, and early American flutes. I occasionally make new flutes. Been at it for about 15 years.
Jon is the one who told me about Scotch-Brite pads. The white color provides the finest finish. They are stiff, but resilient and just buff, not really removing wood.
You can do it by hand or use a cordless drill. Get a small dowl (cleaning rod, wood or plastic, no metal!) with a hole in the end to thread the corner of the pad through (or pad can be taped to the end). I cut my Scotch-Pads into about 3-4" triangles. Then starting with the head (largest diameter first) work your way down the flute bore twisting (or spinning with a drill) and scrubbing up and down, till you get a nice finish. Then coat the bore liberally with the oil of your choice and allow to soak/sit over-night. Wipe out excess and commence to play!
All the Best!
Jordan
I concur. You can also use OOOO extra fine steel wool on a stick. I usually just wrap the white scotchbrite pad around a narrow metal shaft, and chuck it on the lathe. for fine polishing I will add red rouge to the scotchbrite. I have never had any problems with scotchbrite gragging any wood fibers... The idea that oil is all you need, sometimes over oiling will cause build up in the bore, and then it becomes the problem.
"I love the flute because it's the one instrument in the world where you can feel your own breath. I can feel my breath with my fingers. It's as if I'm speaking from my soul..."
Michael Flatley
I strongly suggest you ask Hammy. This is not an uncontroversial area, and some (most?) makers have strong feelings about the "treatments" applied to their instruments' bores.
billh wrote:I strongly suggest you ask Hammy. This is not an uncontroversial area, and some (most?) makers have strong feelings about the "treatments" applied to their instruments' bores.
best regards
Bill
That's very good advice. In cases where the maker can be consulted, it's wise to do so. Even the considerable expert experience of recognized authorities like Loren, Jon, and the others, is second to the original maker. He may recall some peculiarity of your instrument that others have no way of knowing.
In part, I think makers prefer to be consulted because the competence level of the flute owner in carrying out his or her own repairs is unknown, even for something simple. If the playing characteristics were altered, the maker would probably feel a bit uncomfortable about the instrument still bearing his name/mark. Flutes get sold all the time, often without disclosing the whole history to the buyer.
Implicit to any advice on repairs or modifications is the burden of risk. Sending it back to the maker is invariably suggested because it's perceived as having the least risk and it's all still the maker's handy work. Yet another reason for consulting the maker is some will perform the repair for free.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my query. I really appreciate the opinions from "white scotch-brite pads" to "be careful stupid" (to paraphrase Loren ). Hammy is going to be in Toronto at the Chris Langan weekend in a couple of weeks so I will wait and ask him...and I'll have a scotch-brite pad ready to go....
Paul
pmcallis wrote:Thanks to everyone who responded to my query. I really appreciate the opinions from "white scotch-brite pads" to "be careful stupid" (to paraphrase Loren ). Hammy is going to be in Toronto at the Chris Langan weekend in a couple of weeks so I will wait and ask him...and I'll have a scotch-brite pad ready to go....
Paul
I got something roughing the bore of my flute from Paddy Ward once. It was tiny beads of stuck almond oil. He told me to change to a different oil and just scrub it with my regular flute rag (what most people call a swab). I used a wider than usual dowel to scrub, and commercial bore oil, the kind Terry McGee recommends. That fixed it. No scotch brite just a cotton hankie.
Jesus, You're not dealing with the Holy Grail here. Don't be such babies. You won't ruin the flute if you're at all careful. Even if there is a difference of opinion regarding polishing the bore, why would one maker's opinion be better than another's? Why would Hammy's opinion regarding polishing the bore on a Hammy be any better or worse than McGee's opinion?
I don't like bore oil, for instance. If I played a McGee should I use bore oil, even though I don't like it, because McGee says it's best? Is it better to use bore oil on McGee's flutes but not on Murray's? Sam says don't oil the flute at all. I use oil on Murray's flutes and think they're better for it.
Polish the damn bore. Use Scotch Brite or 800 grit sandpaper. Whatever. You will have done something productive in the course of your day and your flute will play better. Flute makers aren't holy men. They make mistakes and they don't always offer the best advice.
Just don't do anything involving the use of sharp metal objects and you'll be fine.
). Hammy is going to be in Toronto at the Chris Langan weekend in a couple of weeks so I will wait and ask him...and I'll have a scotch-brite pad ready to go....
