I’m overhauling a rather nice late nineteenth century Prattenesque Metzler piccolo that has evidently sat in its case unplayed for a very long time. A top-to-bottom clean of years of tarnish and some spots of verdigris is revealing that this instrument is in amazing condition. No cracks, all the cork touches still in place. The main issue is sluggish key response, that so far has been easily fixed by removing the key, cleaning and oiling the pivot. Usually when restoring a piccolo of this age that has been long unplayed, some or all of the pads will fall out of the keys on inspection or need very little encouragement to do so. Not this one; the pads are still a solid fit, if a little dry looking. Having completed cleaning the head joint/head cork assembly and fitting it to the as yet uncleaned body for a quick tune and test indicates a finger-shivering low D and clarity in the second octave.
Normally I’d fit a new set of appropriately thin pads. But I’m thinking it might be worth keeping these old (quite possibly original) pads on (for now anyway). Contrary to usual practice to keep grease and oil away from pads, is there a tested way to very gently ‘rehydrate’ these pads? Or is the natural moisture from playing the only approved option?
I’ve tried using leather cleaning and restoring creams on pads, with some success, but I’ve always noticed an improvement when later replacing the restored pads with new leather ones. Nowadays I just bite the bullet and pay for new pads. When you have put all that work into restoring a flute it seems a shame to settle for sub-optimal performance simply for the sake of saving a few dollars for new pads (and the work to fit them).
I think the reason you get some improvement from new pads is because the old distorted ones never quite regain their elasticity, even when the leather surface is rehydrated.
Thanks, I’ll try a very thin wipe with leather cream on a cotton bud.
Saving the cost of new pads isn’t in my thinking at all. I usually fit new pads on every vintage piccolo restoration as a matter of course. I was just really surprised by this one and how beautifully it plays with pads that must’ve sat unplayed for a lifetime. The leather cream may just revive them a little to get the best out of them.
It’ll be an interesting comparison to play it for a while to get used to the sound and response with the old pads and then fit new pads. If as you say, every flute you’ve repadded always improves then I’ll be amazed and beyond delighted. I paid a bit more than I normally would for this Metzler. But I’m not regretting that at all. As soon as I saw it I knew it would be ‘interesting’. I’m taking care to wake this sleeping beauty slowly only playing it for a few minutes each day for now. I’m fortunate to play a number of fine piccolos; this lucky find, even with its antique attire, is a belter.