I’ve been using conical bore whistles (Sweetone, Meg, Original Clarke) for only a few weeks so far, but it has occurred to me that this problem of the seam resting on the player’s thumbs wouldn’t happen if the whistle was made with the barrel rotated 90%. Why doesn’t anybody construct them like that? Or is there someone who does? It seems so obvious to modify the design in that way, that I wonder if there isna some reason why they don’t. Are they simply afraid that it will ruin the looks? I’d gladly accept this design modification.
It’s a good question. There may be some limitation in either the pressing process - where the holes are made might be unstable if too close to the edge. And there might be some problem where the internal “vane” may interfere with the way the holes work. Perhaps it’s just tradition to do it that way.
an excellent question… in fact, it’s the only thing I have against Sweetones. However, Copeland doesn’t have this problem…but then again, they don’t have a $6 sticker price either.
Dave
What problem exactly? I have several Sweetones and Clarkes and while the seam is on my thumb it has never caused any problems.
What problem? The seam gives my thumb a reference
point, and keeps the whistle from moving around.
I won’t speak for everyone (notice that there are other people who’ve expressed a problem with this seam, both in this topic and in others), but for me it doesn’t feel comfortable to have that seam on the Sweetone/Meg/Clarke where there was none on the whistles I’ve played for the previous 15 years. It’s similar to the feeling one gets when they’re walking/running and realize that a rock has slipped into their shoe.
It’s never bothered me all that much on my Sweetone, but I do wonder why they dont put it on the side. My best guess is that is an asthetic thing since it would throw off the symetry to have it on one side
Sweetones are made of tin. Grind the seam down where your thumb goes with a file and solder any gaps that might appear. Alternately, make-up a slotted conical steel mandrill on a lathe - do the slot with a mill then boil the head off, fit the pipe over the mandrill in a decent heavy bench-vice and beat the seam into submission with a 5-pound copper-headed hammer or a lump of mild steel box-section - careful to not widen the bore otherwise you’ll have to close-up the holes and re-calculate/re-drill. Of course, once you have that mandrill you can go into business making side-seam whistle bodies - no one’s doing that tweak right now 
Otherwise buy a conical bore whistle that has no seam - Lon Dubh and Copeland spring to mind?
You could apply some epoxy putty where your thumbs rest. Sand it down so you have a flat surface.
You got it!
It would look like a dogs breakfast with the seam on the side. If it really irritates (and I can see where you all are coming from here, I have 2 Clarke Originals) stick a bit of blu-tack where your thumb rests. Or a corn plaster!
Wow! Precision engineering hasn’t reached Leura yet then! 
I just sanded the seam on my Shaw, and finished it with steel wool, so it’s nice and smooth
And wouldn’t getting the whistle over that mandrill be sort of dangerous too?
Hey, where’d ya cop that picture of me before my morning coffee anyway Peter?
Loren
In my opinion it’s quite obvious why the seam is in back. If it were in front it would look pretty ugly. And if it were on the side the whisle would not be symetrical, and thus, again, not pretty.
No. And we have a heck of a time getting our mandrills to sit long enough in the vice - that’s where the box-section comes in handy. Or a banana.
I stuck a length of insulation tape along mine some time ago. It’s pretty and does the job.
Sweetheart Professional is a good choice too, and nowhere near the price of a Copeland.
Play it long enough and the seam goes away…you end up ignoring it in the end! 
With best regards,
Steve Mack
The only time the seam ever bothered me was when I first began playing years ago and I was gripping the whistle too tight. I would have an indent on the pads of my thumbs for months, my thumbs gradually took on the shape of the whistle. Once I started relaxing my grip and playing properly, it took a week or two for the indents to go away but the seam hasn’t bothered me since. Maybe you are gripping it a bit tightly , maybe you’re not… something to consider though. I agree with fearfaoin, it sort of gives you a reference point and that extra grip to keep it from sliding around.