So, I was talking with the fella who sold me a Silkstone about 6 months ago. He said it sounded not-so-great when he sold it (at which time it was very new and clean on the inside), but after 6 months of play by me (and 6 months worth of my slime) it seemed to sound better.
The next day I soaked it in enzyme-containing detergent…a very thorough cleaning, and lo & behold, the sound went downhill. The tone seemed less round, and a little more raspy, and it seemed to squeak more when playing. So now I’m thinking, “this whistle sounds better with a coating of gunk on the inside”. I didn’t want to wait 6 months, so I applied a coating of bore oil. Maybe it’s my imagination, but the darned thing seems to have improved with oiling. Imagination? Maybe, but I’m going with it.
BTW, putting a little bore oil on the fingers seems to help too. Or am I halucinating?
The oil on your hands sounds like it helps seal the tone holes better.
However I pefer to use a hand lotion (Corn Huskers) to keep my skin soft enough to seal the holes.
The oil in the bore I have not head of but am curious enough to try it.
And letting the moisture dry and collect in the bore sounds like the beginning of a debate.
I recently acquired a little Hoover D in brass that is, well, just plain quiet. It sounds shy and retiring. It squeaks a bit in the second register, too. Eeep! Eeep!
Since it was brass, I didn’t hesitate to take it into the bath, thinking it would be a good choice by virtue of being so quiet (sound does carry through the water pipes, after all).
The acoustics in the bath, with all that tile and porcelain and resonating chambers, turned out to be really good. But, of course, I dropped the whistle in the water. Not wanting to trail sudsy water around on the floor to get a dry whistle, I blew the Hoover out and commenced playing.
The difference was incredible. It doubled in volume, the second register stopped squeaking and became very easy to play, and the sound became smooth and delightful. It’s definitely a water-going whistle.
OK what I see now is two whistlles. One became worse after washing it and than better with oil. And then one whistle that became better after washing and might become oiled. I have a theroy about the first whistle.
I think perhaps after six months of no cleaning the player became accustomed to playing it full of unknowen matter. And then when it was cleaned the player was not use to the ease of passing air through it.
So it made unwanted sounds because he was useing the same air requirments to play a clean whistle that was being used on the unclean.
I also think with a little pratice the clean whistle could be played well.
But if the player enjoys the oil who am I to say anything. I would suggest oil with good flavor. Pehaps a fine virgin olive oil with pizza seasoning.
Maybe some bacon drippings with paprika. And would that go with a dry white wine or red?
