As a whistle player who’s recently started playing flute I’ve been wondering oiling it. What do folk here think about oiling, what is the best oil to use, and how do they personally go about applying the oil? Thanks in advance for any tips.
If the maker of the flute is available to contact, it is often best to get their opinion and preference for oiling.
I was really looking for broader opinion to be honest - preferences, how often etc, but I will check the recommendations for my own flute.
Ah, flute oil - the product of mashing up and pressing many flutes… good stuff!
This is a sore subject, really, and a very often discussed one. Save us all from another re-run by using the search tool, please! There really is loads of advice out there. It will vary from “don’t oil at all” to “oil every day with only such-and-such a preparation”…
Hmm, prefer mashed up malted barley myself but I’ll try that if I ever have a spare flute.
Surely anyone who doesn’t want to discuss flute oil can simply avoid this thread???
Sure, but that wasn’t really my point - which was more hinting that folk may not want to/can’t be bothered to write about it yet again when there’s loads been written… go have a look.
That’s true Jem, but at the same time others may want to discuss it. I would prefer current opinions, that’s why I posted the thread. You don’t have to be part of it if you’d prefer not to.
I’ve been using LeBlanc’s Bore Seal for 6 -7 years now with no problems. A little bit goes a long way and not expensive at all. I usually wipe my flute down inside and out every few weeks or so. More if it’s lower humidity in the room where I keep my instruments.
http://www.456music.com/page.cfm?content=itemdetail&item_id=3270SG
I don’t have to worry about it going rancid or changing the color of the flute like some other oils. It comes in a small bottle so I can keep it in the case with the flute and there are a lot of music stores around that carry it if I need to pick up some and don’t want to wait for shipping.
I asked Casey Burns a long time ago about it and he said it was perfectly acceptable to use on my Boxwood…
I’m sure there are other brands and some folks use raw linseed and other things but I’ve found this to be a very good oil to use. They make a good cork grease too…
Thanks Jim.
Also, I was wondering, does oiling have any effect of the playability or tone of the flute?
Pressed Flute and Warthog closed down their shop; they didn’t really want to, 'twas all they had got…
My impression of the consensus, having viewed he earlier threads, is that most now seem to favor commerically-available woodwind bore oil, applied maybe every few months, depending on your climate, the amount of playing you do, and your zodiac sign.
I’ve never noticed a tone change or anything but I’ve been oiling this flute since it was made. I think if you have an older flute that wasn’t maintained and you begin oiling it, you may notice a change as it seals small cracks in the wood. It could also make some minor changes if your flute is of a more porous wood I would think…
Some of the folks here are collectors of older flutes and may have a better answer on that one.
hi, i can’t remember where i read it… it was with some flute i got. maybe the Copley? perhaps the Mcgee… maybe not, i can’t remember.
anyway, it claimed if you lightly oil your flute before playing it should sound better. (i oil the bejeesus out of mine, due to my dry climate, so i don’t know what it sounds like unoiled in comparison, so i’m not in a position to be a judge of whether this is true or not 
anyway, good luck.
I have had good results with natural foods type flaxseed oil mixed with a small amount of vitamin E. I store it out of the light in a brown container and apply it only when the interior bore seems to need condensate/saliva drain more than normal. Slather it on pretty well during application using a scrap of cloth and old flute rod from a silver flute. Let it set over night then wipe it down with a similar “clean” scrap of old flannel.
I use cosmetic grade sweet almond oil and add a couple of drops of vitamin E oil, about 2 drops in 2 oz of the almond oil.
(edited to add “sweet”)
My impression of the consensus, having viewed he earlier threads, is that most now seem to favor commerically-available woodwind bore oil, applied maybe every few months, depending on your climate, the amount of playing you do, and your zodiac sign.
I don’t think your survey is at all accurate. Oh, I see. It isn’t meant to be accurate. Just an impression of the consensus. I’m with Eskin on this one. Why don’t you run a poll? Then you can find out if people are really stupid or if they agree with you?
Sorry, I don’t do polls. I was merely suggesting what impression the OP might come away with if he went back and read the multitude of threads. Not that I have anything against polls. I find them highly entertaining in a frivolous sort of way.
Like Eskin I use food grade Sweet Almond Oil with vitamin E to prevent rancidification. If you choose almond oil be sure to get SWEET and not Bitter, as Bitter almonds are toxic.
Also, I oil my flute heavily and frequently, if the wood absorbs it, I keep applying it.