I got an Acorn whose mouthpiece (same as the Oak mouthpiece) did the lip-numbing thing. Thinking that it might be some chemical on the surface of the plastic, I used a shotgun approach to clean it. First I scrubbed it with rubbing alcohol. Then used a slightly abrasive cleanser (Bon Ami). Finally, I washed it in diswashing detergent, and rinsed and dried it. I played it for a solid hour yesterday without getting numb lips, whereas before it would do it after about 10 minutes.
Interesting, perhaps the lip numbing is the result of plastic’s stabilizers that have leached out to the surface sometime during the curing process?
Thanks – I’ll try that with mine!
Tery
I noticed that the flavor and numbness disapeared with a little playing and time. My best guess is that there is some sort of release agent used in the molding process that wasn’t removed properly. Second guess is a bad plastic mix.
I have my Oaks stored in a plastic bag and am waiting for a reply from the distributor. When it’s all worked out, I’ll keep the mouthpieces in the bag and get new ones for the tubes.
UPDATE:
I have been emailing the distributors re the Oak whistles and they say they’ve finally solved it. They won’t go into too much detil but the person I corresponded with says it was a chemical they use in the curing process.
So they sent another and guess what? It’s still there. I quit.
I have a very old Oak whose head cracked when I removed it for tweaking, etc. I wrote to the Oak folks, asking how I could buy a new mouthpiece because I like the whistle. So yesterday UPS brought me a brand new Oak, not just the mouthpiece but the whole whistle, for FREE. I say hats off to the Oak Foaks for doing what they need to to keep their customers and maybe get new ones.
Oh, I didn’t have a chance to play it yet so I don’t know if my lips will get numb. I’ll-b tell-b you-b tomorrow-b.
Mike Burns
On 2002-10-10 10:56, FJohnSharp wrote:
UPDATE:
…the person I corresponded with says it was a chemical they use in the curing process.So they sent another and guess what? It’s still there. I quit.
Have you emailed them since and told them it’s still there? I wonder why the Oaks have this problem and not Waltons, Feadogs, etc.
I’m glad they solved it, but my replacement Oak arrived a couple of days ago, and it’s worse than the 1st. I’ve given up on them.
Tery
On 2002-10-10 13:01, tkelly wrote:
I’m glad they solved it, but my replacement Oak arrived a couple of days ago, and it’s worse than the 1st. I’ve given up on them.Tery
Same here.
You got to realize though that they probably have stock that they need to get rid of first. Also, stores are liable to have the older ones before the new ones hit the market. Just a thought.
Nick
Still seems odd to send bad whistles out from old stock when the people you’re sending them to are getting free whistles bc they complained about the bad whistles they bought. When I contacted Oak about the first one, they said they were working on the problem and would send a new whistle when they’d gotten it solved. I kinda thought that implied they’d be sending a whistle from the post-solved batch.
Well, as I said, these whistles are useless. I’ve given up on Oaks.
Tery
I neither have an Oak nor have encountered this problem but I do have a suggestion. I am a sucker for nailpolish and sticking it on all sorts of non-keratin-based things, usually to make them purple…but anyway…
Get some clear nailpolish and apply a coat or two to your Oak mouthpiece, either just the part your lips go on or the whole thing. You could even get some coloured stuff and make it purple! 
That way you will have a barrier between this substance and your lips.
However, you wont be able to get it off with nailpolish remover, should you want to get it off, as it tends to disolve plastics. (A thumbnail may get it off) Also some nailpolishes contain something similar to nailpolish remover which makes the surface slightly odd, but successive layers will come up all shiny. It will also probably smell a little nail-polishy for a while, but that should pass in a day or so.
Ok, despite all my caveats, if I had an Oak with this problem, this is what i would do.
Stella
I have 3 Oaks, a C, and 2 D’s. I play the D’s quite frequently while perusing the board, and in the past played them a lot, too. I have never encountered this problem. Perhaps I’m just fortunate?
~Larry
[ This Message was edited by: madguy on 2002-10-10 19:35 ]
See, I’m with Teri, since I have been pestering them for months about this, they should have sent me one that was from the “good” batch. If they didn’t then they are really, really dumb.
No, I didn’t email them, mainly because I began to wonder if it was just me. But since at leastone other person received a “new” one that still was bad, I think I will.
Teri, would you mind emailing me? I would like to discuss this with you off-site. fjsharpjr@aol.com. Anyone else who received a supposedly new Oak (post chamical problem) can please join in. Thanks all.
Someone PLEASE talk me out of posting a request for anyone who hates their Oak to sell it to me!
I already have one whistle for each song I know how to play (3).
Maybe I need another one so I can learn a new song…?
Stella
–quote–
have 3 Oaks, a C, and 2 D’s. I play the D’s quite frequently while perusing the board, and in the past played them a lot, too. I have never encountered this problem. Perhaps I’m just fortunate?
–endquote–
I have an Oak and an Acorn with the Oak fipple. I also have never had this problem.
I am wondering if there isn’t some chemical, maybe a polishing compound used to get that high-gloss black plastic finish, that some people are sensitive to, and others (like me) are unaffected by it.
The only time a whistle has ever made my lips numb was when I first got my Susato low D…I banged my lips a good one on the fipple. Low whistles are dangerous!!! 
Best wishes,
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
RECEIVED 10-29-02
Dale,
I work at a music store that stocks a lot of whistles. Recently we got a batch of Oak D’s that were recalled my the distributer because the plastic fipple tasted and smelled funny. Last week I got another shipment that I tried out personally.After One try at playing one , my lips got
completely numb and stayed that way for over an hour.IMHO , Oak has got some real problems with the composition of their plastic on the D’s (the C’s are OK , made of a different plastic) I wouldn’t advise anyne to buy one until this problem is solved.Volitiles are leaking from the head and could be potentially dangerous.
( I would prefer that you did not use our name in this report, as we would
still like to be able to get the Oaks when the problem is corected.)
This is scary.
Wy wips are perwanentwy wumb anyway.Oaks are my favorwit. Mike
This fits in the “cheap whistle vs. high-end debate” :
Why spend on Cocobolo when you can get the same result with good ol’ American poison Oak ? 