I’ve read all the threads about washing an aluminum whistle. What I’m unsure of is the headjoint. I have a Syn and a Burke. Can I soak the headjoint in the mild soapy water along with the body of the whistle?
I’ve read about the pipe cleaners, etc. The Syn is a recent purchase (used) and needs a good cleaning inside and out.
Thanks.
Simplest way would be to ask the maker. He posts here and you can find contact info at
http://forums.chiffandfipple.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=2201
Best wishes.
Steve
Hi sfwhistle,
I also recently bought a pre-owend Syn (D+C set). So if you get any special instructions on cleaning the Syn, I’d be very interested to hear about it.
As for general cleaning, I follow the instructions Michael Burke has for his whistles. If you pm me your email address, I can send you the pfd. file.
In his instructions mr. Burke advises using Isopropyl alcohol on aluminum whistles. That’s what I use and it works well.
I use Oral-B woodstick toothpicks for the windway. They are a bit triangular, so there are different dimensions to it. And they are relatively soft, so it won’t damage the windway if you use them carefully.
Folkert
I have 4 Syn whistles (C#, C, B and Bb).
Hopefully Erle will be along soon to advise but in the meantime this is what I do:
*I pull the pin out that holds the black plastic head in place using a pincer thingie (sorry - mental block about tool name). Some tweezers at hand allow for gentler tugging once the head of the pin is raised a tad by the hardware tool.
*I wash the platic head in warm soapy water, rinse and dry in sunshine.
*For the whistles with wooden block I dab cotton bud in a nice volatile oil like rosemary oil or lavendar oil and clean the now exposed windway. I find the volatile oil evaporates quickly after the cleanup. For the whistles with plastic block I dab the cotton bud with methylated spirit.
Thank you for the advice. I did email Erle, but haven’t heard back. In the meantime, I will follow the information given me on this site.
I cleaned the Syn whistle head today and then followed the Burke instructions for the body. Plays like new! Many thanks.
Hi all,
sorry, but I ve been away for a few days. The advice I’ve read here is good. If you are a little squeamish about dismantling the head I’m happy to do it for you, pm me for the address. I’d also add to use a smear of vasoline on the tuning slide ocassionally! I would really love to be able to anodise all the aluminium parts on syn whistles but am not set up to do so myself. If you know of anyone who could provide the service at a reasonable rate I would love to hear about it!
Cheers, Erle.
Don’t have any Syn whistles so take this for what it is worth.
I’m surprised that no one has suggested putting it in a ultrasonic cleaning bath for 15 min or so? With a mild soap solution I would expect that would do wonders for windways on any whistles with either plastic of metal fipples (certainly not for wood components though). Drying afterwards with a soft cloth as suggested by others would still be a great choice. If you don’t have one of your own, most jewelry stores have one and would probably give your headjoint a bath for the novelty value (or maybe a tune…). Key benefit of this method is no chance of scratching the windway or blade of the fipple.
If you don’t have an ultrasonic cleaning bath (or a dog) can you get the same effect playing in the upper register on a high F whistle?
Best wishes.
Steve