Any advise on cleaning the outside, wooden parts of the chanter without damaging it.
Thanks
Ballygo
A little grapeseed oil or Neat’s Foot Oil is what I use.
Better ask your maker, it depends on what the finish (if any) is made of. Grapeseed oil is probably safe enough, if used sparingly…
After getting into NSPs. I’ve been told it’s recommended that they be oiled (pure neatsfoot is good) to keep the leather pads sealing well and the bore smooth.
I asked Seth Gallagher whether this was a good thing to do to a UP chanter. He said it wasn’t necessary and that he would be concerned that any oil might rot the foam he uses for pads. Checking with your maker is good advice!
The NSP crowd has long been into oiling their pipes, particularly the leather pads and valves. They also like oil mixtures for “treating” bags and bellows. I have found oils not necessary for the valves. I use foam pads which don’t need oil either, nor did the leather pads require it when I was using properly made leather pads. Oils tend to become sticky and gummy with age and create more problems than they solve IMHO.
Ted
Definitely check with your maker before allowing oil to contact your keypads or get into the bore.
While we’re on the subject of oil and the bore: I find that oiling the bore can be useful for some timbers, for others (ebony, for instance) I definitely avoid it. Also, especially where the bore is concerned you want to avoid the use of any kind of oil that dries over time, as it will build up and actually alter your bore dimensions as a result. As Ted points out, it can also attract dirt which is not a good thing for your bore.
Bore oiling helps protect mouth-blown instruments from damage due to extreme humidity variations and condensation; we don’t need to worry about that, and can thus avoid the problems associated with bore oiling.
Bill