Only about 1/3 of the headjoint on my Reviol flute is lined with metal from the tuning slide. Any tips on how to oil the wooden part of the headjoint? The flute is bloodwood and really needs to be oiled.. I guess the same question goes for the barrel as well since it’s partially lined as well.
My Watson flute has an unlined/partially lined head joint as well. I just oil it the same way that I oil the rest of the flute. The only difference is that I pull the swab further through the cleaning rod so that more cloth is on one side than the other. Then I drape the long side of the swab over the rod so that the tip of the rod is covered by the swab. That way I get oil all the way up into the head.
Kirk
I’m curious, what makes you feel it really needs to be oiled?
It hasn’t been oiled in months and was just shipped to me from halfway across the USA. The bore is completely dry and the flute just picked up two hairline cracks, one on the barrel and one on the headjoint. Although the cracks are probably due to the change in climate and humidity, the lack of oil might have also played a role. On top of all this, bloodwood is a lot less oily than blackwood and needs to be oiled more often.
I see. Well as Kirk said, swab the inside with oil, sticking as much as you can to the exposed wood part, then let it soak for a half hour or so before swabbing out any excess. If the HJ is particularly dry you may need to oil several more times during that half hour. Even after oiling, I’d play the flute sparingly at first, gradually building up playing time, to avoid more cracks or worsening the ones already present. In general, once the flute is at a point where you can play it regularly, it really shouldn’t need oiling, regardless of the wood it’s made of. That said, it’s usually wise to find and follow the maker’s care directions.
Cheers.
Luckily the cracks were sealed today at the Von Huene workshop in Boston.
A bunch of other flute players told me to let the oil sit overnight and absorb into the flute. You don’t suggest this?
Ah, my old employer. Did Patrick do the work or someone else? Hopefully you got a peak at the second floor (main) workshop at least.
Patrick did the work 
I did get to check out the second floor. So many recorders and shawms! I play renaissance lute and have always wanted to pick up shawm… it was a real treat.
Cool, Pat’s a good dude and does excellent work. I enjoyed my time there and often miss the place.
You can let the oil stay on the flute overnight if you want. Most flutes won’t keep absorbing oil after 30-60 minutes, depending on how dry it is. To get the oil to go deeper, you have to force it in with pressure. Perhaps you noticed the big messy cylinder thing on the table near the door to Patrick’s office…
Can you remove the stopper (cork or otherwise) easily?
On most flutes it’s reasonably easy with a suitably fat dowell.
I’d do that and oil the headjoint from the distal end, wiping off any excess getting as far as the tuning slide insert (partial liner) with a tissue over your finger, let it sit for an hour or two, swab out with a piece of paper towel on cleaning rod. Then re-set the stopper to your preference or the maker’s.
I’ve heard tales of gunked-up flutes but really, you don’t need to apply a lot of oil, to the point of it dripping all over the place. Just a uniform but thin layer works fine. Very little gets absorbed anyway. I am careful to promptly clean off any getting onto liners or slide however.
My flute has a wooden stopper at the end that comes off and a cork inside the headjoint. How would you go about removing the cork without damaging it and how would you ensure that it is returned to the correct location in the headjoint?
Go and get a dowel with a flat end and a diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of your head joint (doesn’t have to be an exact fit just don’t get a too thin dowel that could dent the cork). Then, insert the dowel in to the head joint all the way up against the cork and mark on the dowel with a pencil the center of the embouchure hole. When you have that marked you can push out the cork using a firm steady pressure. Reverse the steps to replace the bung using the mark on the stick as a guide. You can cut a small notch in the stick for future reference.
If the cork is stuck don’t force it.
Bob
^^^ What Monkeymonk said. ^^^
I’d add that it can be different with various flutes.
On my McGee, the cork has a screw-adjusting cap. It comes out fairly easily when I keep it oiled.
Also the HJ is very slightly wider (it seems) toward the cap end.
So once you push it past the narrow part where it should be in use, it comes out rather easily.
Most other flutes I have may require some force.
Usually steady pressure doesn’t usually work in my experience - even though I grease the corks well.
I use a dowell that sticks out about 4-5"" beyond the HJ, and if needed tap the end of the dowell gently on a counter while holding the HJ firmly, and keep one hand on or over the end - so the cork or stopper doesn’t go flying. (It’s happened.)
I’d not tap too hard, just repeatedly. That usually will dislodge it.
Don’t let the HJ hit the counter either. Keep a firm grip so the only thing that can bang into the counter is your hand.
Mostly, they come out marginally easier over time and repeated removals and re-greasing.
I’m no expert but I think it’s healthy to remove the corks from time to time anyway.
I’ve worked on two, maybe three old flutes with corks that were cemented in by corrosion. Not fun.