HELP I've baked my F flute case to death. Need another!

Irish Flute
1

Stupid. Oh bum. My F flute was recently tuned, and as I’m allergic to it’s wood, and dust probably got into the case, I rinsed it, then dried in oven. Timer malfunctioned. Case now a shrivelly horror.

If anyone has an old marching band-type flute case, hard leather, about 8" by 4" by 1 1/2", three inner compartments, belonging to a flute that is defunct, or unrepairable, or similar, I’d happily buy it from you, including postage, and be very grateful.

My flute is a concert F, but the case may be an add-on- it looks like a standard marching band case (well, it did…)

Could get a standard bag from Hobgoblin, but it would be too large, and I’d prefer something closer to the leather original. I’m due to make new brass springs for the flute, and re-pad it in white leather (apparently this was the colour used most, as flute makers could get slightly soiled white kid gloves cheap from the undertakers who carried coffins).

It would be a shame to put it in a modern case.

Here are some pictures, which I had from before the disaster:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/44215814/flute%20case%20front.jpg

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/44215814/flute%20case%20back.jpg

2

I wonder if you soaked your case in water for a few days, let it air dry then get out the mink oil?

3

Thanks for the helpfulness- but it’s seriously shrivelled on the back side- to the extent that it’s now wasp-waisted, and the leather has a carbonised appearance. I’ll put it in water anyway- worth a try. I applied oil to the outside as soon a I got it out of the oven, and filled the inside with water. One section responded- the rest not. Prolonged soaking may do it. Will report back…

I’m a twit.

4

What a great story. Pop flew out my nose.

5

Well, if it’s made someone laugh, that’s a plus out of the whole sorry episode…
Good.

6

Maybe you can find a brandnew case. I doesn’t have the aged patina of course, but you have a case that fits the flute.

A quick google-search gave this:
http://www.esseymusical.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=57_92

You might try and find someone who makes bespoke leather cases. Or maybe there’s a leather craftsman you could ask to copy the original case.

7

If he does get a new case, I’m sure he can figure out some quick fix solutions to achieving a patina. This is a man with ideas!

8

Flutefan … The letter S is the one with the two little curvy squiggles. The letter K is the one with three straight lines, like an arrowhead hitting a wall.

The next time that someone tells you to “Bake a CAKE”, please don’t mistake those two letters for each other.

:laughing:

9

If you’re a writer and in the habit of frequenting Ording & Reda, check out their pencil cases. The Swedish have some very large pencils which might accommodate your flute in the key of F.

or a funky Dino Army Pencil tin?

http://www.paperchase.co.uk/invt/00496694/

with a flute security blanket:

http://store.fluteworks.com/servlet/-strse-Flute-Security-Blankets-cln-For-Pro-dsh-style-Clam-Shell-French-Flute-Cases/Categories

10

Now these are inventive suggestions.

What a good idea- a security blanket for one’s flute. Just the thing to cuddle and comfort it after a dodgy session when everything has gone pear-shaped. Or make it feel safe and cosy after a traumatic re-padding. And they come in gold silk brocade, with plum blossom embroidery. Wow. Or in pale pink, in case your flute is a young girl.

Oh- I’m a woman by the way. Not, happily, that it seems that relevant on this forum. But I don’t care for pink, much. Or make cakes.
Name of ‘Deb’. (I agree with an earlier post pushing for more disclosure of actual names. But hey, this is my first forum, so I made like a sheep. Baaah.)

Also good idea in the pencil case for giant pencils. No link, so I put in a search for ‘big swedish pencil’. Apart from the predictable dodgy sex sites, I now know how to say 'You have a very large pencil in Arabic. If I could read the script.
http://www.howtosayin.com/say/arabic/You+have+a+very+large+pencil.html

Also, here is a site for making a musical instrument that can read. Apparently, the graphite sensor interface “…is musically satisfying to play,and allows for a wide range of playing techniques, from wild exploration to subtle expressions.”

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/nime2012/Proceedings/papers/275_Final_Manuscript.pdf

The pencil case site is at: http://www.ordning-reda.com/gb/en-us/shop/prodlist/378/
Or John Lewis (UK) do them. But the measurements are in cm, making them a bit too small…mine were in inches. Nice products, though.
I’ve got a terrible eBay £20 fife- I could strip the keys and fit a giant lead- then I’d have a trendy Big Swedish Pencil too. It might even fit in the case.

The original case has responded slightly to soaking, but the carbonised back is still obdurately wasp-waisted. It’s quite attractive, so shall nail it to the wall by the flap-hole, as an objet d’art, and object lesson.

Thanks all, for case suggestions. Other people may find them useful, too. A standard search seems only to throw up (sic) great clunky things that look like 1980’s trainers.

11

Sorry about the gender identity mistake. You’re not the first person that I have guessed wrong. In my defense, baking a flute case to death sounds manly.

12

Aren’t those flute security blankets quite something?!

And Mutepointe - they could help you clear some pop too :slight_smile:

Deb - I’ve forgotten how big (or small) a F key flute is and I tend to think of it as the same
size as my piccolo, although it must be much longer. In that case (why do puns and overcooked metaphors always find their way …):

Am I right in thinking that your flute will disassemble into small parts less than 30cm long?

If so…here’s some more ideas:

Men’s toiletry bag:

This one is a Smith & Canova.

Vintage photographic lens cases - you can pick these up for around £5+ from traditional photographic stores. Many closed down due to digital and sell them cheap, although the workmanship from these cases is usually incredible compared to the modern machine stitch.

The modern version is available for monoculars too - made of shock absorbing neoprene in a soft, lighter and non-rigid fabric.

Do you know how to ask for a large pencil in Mancunian?

Or for a more homey feminine touch, Victoria’s cases are custom designed for flutes - your F key flute may still come into the same sizes as the traversos:

Her site is in Dutch, although she is at least bilingual:

http://users.skynet.be/fluiten/victoria/