First off, I’ll acknowledge that no one will be able to answer this question definitively. But I’m going to try anyway.
My flute is very smooth, to the point of feeling “slick.” It’s not actually slick, but if my hands are dry, it’s borderline difficult to hold.
This could also be partly a balance thing too.
But I tried out another flute last week; a used one.
It was very easy to hold. And the surface finish just felt … different. Not “tacky,” but definitely more grippy in some indiscernible way. I think it was also balanced differently.
So, the question? Does anyone have any idea what sorts of finishes could POSSIBLY give that feeling? If there’s something I could apply to my current flute to give it that grippiness, I’d love to try.
Of course, this is where no one can say for sure. Maybe a different oil finish? Or wax? Or wood/furniture polish? Or just years of accumulated finger/skin oils? Maybe I’m oiling mine too much and not letting it “age” in some way?
I just have no better way to describe it: one feels like I have to grip it harder but that if I grip too tightly it might slip out… one doesn’t. I felt I could hold it more loosely.
Again, maybe other issues (balance, diameter… shrug)
I don’t have any problem with my mopane flute and if anything the blackwood one has a smoother surface. I don’t think either of them have a finish as such. When I oil it with almond oil I rub over the outside with the same, but I then wipe and rub it off the outside finishing with a dry cloth. I guess a little may remain but the surface just looks like wood.
After every practice session I rub a small amount of cork wax around the embouchure hole and polish it off. This eliminates that rough and dry look the embouchure area can get. I use D’Addario “All Natural Cork Grease” which is hypoallergenic and safe to use around your mouth.
Every couple of weeks I also rub and polish cork wax on all the exterior surfaces of the flute, both to clean and polish. This helps keep the flute from being too slippery and gives it a nice shine. Just make sure to keep it away from the pads if you have a keyed flute. This might help with your flute. I first started doing this with a previous Windward flute, where it was recommended on their flute care page. Here’s the text from the Windward web site:
“Windings wax also helps protect the exterior finish. Rub it on the external surfaces around the embouchure and toneholes and wherever perspiration and skin contact might wear at the finish. Friction softens the wax, so after rubbing it in vigorously, remove what is left by polishing the flute with a soft cotton cloth, until the flute shines.”
Derlin (plastic) flutes give you the impression of a rubbery’/grippy feel if you polish the surface with 0000 steel wool. something about that matte finish on that particular plastic gives a really grippy feeling. But on the other hand derlin is really slippery if it has a gloss finish on it.
I play a Windward mopane, which has thread-wound tenons. I find the windings wax that Windward supplies to be tacky stuff and I often smooth over the windings before playing, between my thumb and first finger. I find this give just enough ‘tack’ to my right thumb to help keep it positioned against the backside of the flute. You may end up with a slight ‘deposit’ of wax there…it looks like a blurred fingerprint. Polish it in or leave it for more tack! I hope it helps.
I have been using “Renaissance Wax Polish”. This is the finest wax you can buy anywhere and a small bottle lasts a long long time. I produces a beautiful semi-gloss sheen and will protect your head especially around the embouchure. I never have “lip muck” or anything else wearing the surface of the wood. (btw, if you are concerned about the “this product can expose you to toxic metals…message” that is a required legal statement due to the fact that they use a tin metal lid on the product. So don’t sweat it!