The Gardiner & Houlgate Rudall Carte & Co. no. 7103, made in May-July, 1892, has arrived. At first glance the 120 year old flute looks to be in very good condition. The wood is cocus, reddish brown, no cracks or repairs that I can see. Extremely well made, feels almost delicate when compared to the Olwell or Wilkes keyless. The Rudall feels very light, in spite of the keys and lined head joint. The flute is in tune with itself with A at 440 and the slide pulled out 3/4 in. (19 mm). I wonder if this will change, as just now as the Eb key has a bad leak. The Eb leather pad looks to be original and doesn’t seal well. So bad that it was impossible to get the bottom or top D to sound. I did the suck test on the head joint, head joint and barrel, no leaks. I could sound all notes except the bottom and top D. They were non existent. I tried rubber bands and putting tape under the Eb pad, which sealed a bit better so I could occasionally get the low and high D to sound. I’ll take the key off and seal with blue tac as a temporary fix so I can play, and after looking at Terry McGee’s site I’m inspired to have a go and make a new pad http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Purse-pads_or_Elastic-Balls.htm
The first day when my daughter came with the flute I oiled the bore lightly after inspecting for cracks or defects and found none, bar the leaking pad. The long F key has a newly made pad, whereas all the other pads look to be very old, possibly original. The slide is fine not stuck, or too loose. The keys look to be silver, but I suppose they are German silver. How to tell? The flute body has no dings, just three scratches on the back side of the flute and 2 scratches near the G hole. The thread on the sockets also looks to be very old. On the southern LH joint socket there is a little thread that looks to be newer as if someone has attemped to better the seal. This looks to be a flute that has been looked after, and hasn’t been down the pub blasting out reels, not a working session flute so to say. rather it has been played in someone’s home and then left in it’s box for a number of years. The embouchure hole edges are sharp as are the tone holes. I doubt the flute has been played much, prehaps in the beginning of it’s life? The notes I could play down to Eb have a pleasant, warm tone, plenty of volume there. Diameter of holes is B 7 mm, A 8 mm, G is 7,5mm, F# 9 mm, E 10 mm, D 6,5 mm. The box although old, is probably not original as it is a wooden box with intarsia inlay around the edges. The metal inlay in the middle of the lid and around the key hole is missing and one latch is broken. Still the box has protected the flute all these years. So I am very pleased with this flute so far, Just have to get the Eb pad sorted
I’d be surprised if most of the pads didn’t leak air. A very dry pad is not soft enough to work well… If you want to test the flute, remove all the keys and go with bluetac, and make sure the tenons are not leaking. Check the cork position as well.
Aye, is it possible to remedy dry pads, treat them with anything, neatsfoot oil, or is it just to replace them? Put blue tac on the Eb and a rubber band on the Bb and now the flute is really responding well, great tone. The cork has been replaced recently, looks quite new. The tenons seem very snug. Took the Eb key off to put blue tac on and saw there is a small screw in the groove where the spring sits. Is this to tension the spring? Thanks for the input
I presume, in the case of your flute, that it means you have ‘double springs’. The small screw simply attaches the bottom spring (probably not the technically correct term) to the body of the flute.
Sounds like a mounting screw for a counter-spring, as Ben said, but I presume the blued steel counter spring is missing, unless the channel is deeply gunged-up and it is buried (unlikely). It is probable the other short keys will also be double-sprung. If the counter-spring in the Bb slot has collapsed, that may explain that key’s sluggish action, though there are many other possible reasons for that.
“Sounds like a mounting screw for a counter-spring, …” Jem.
Yes, and I see now that the spring is there and functioning. I put the Eb key back on as I found that the Bb pad was the main culprit as regards leaks. Strange that this key, so high up, affects the bottom D? Now I have fashioned some small discs from leather and put them under a couple of pads. The spring tension keeps them in place and the flute is sounding well. The bottom notes are strong. I haven’t glued the discs to the pads as they are sealing now. I’ll use rubbing alcohol and vasaline later on the pads to try and soften them up and see how that works. The main thing is to have the flute playing with a fix that doesn’t damage or make any permanent change that can’t be undone. I’ve oiled the flute lightly once more and it is soaking up the oil.
“I presume, in the case of your flute, that it means you have ‘double springs’. The small screw simply attaches the bottom spring (probably not the technically correct term) to the body of the flute.” benhall.
Sorry about that Ben. You were right too. I saw this when viewing the screw from another angle. This is the first old flute I have played, let alone owned, so it’s an interesting trip. Noticing small details all the time
