Tim,
Yeah, I saw John’s write up on woodie-L right when it came up, however I’m not sure I have the balls to try it on my flute…I mean, If I sold my flute right now on Ebay (which I don’t plan to do), it would likely bring $2500-$3000. However, If I try this superglue and French Lacquer thing, and screw up…I’d cut the flutes value way down, you know? I’m still thinking about it. I might try practicing on a few mock-ups and see how I do.
For those of you who are in the dark, here’s John Skelton’s post from the wooden flute list:
From: john skelton
Date: Thu, Sep 19, 2002, 7:02am
To: woodenflute@woodenflute.com
Subject:Problems with Cocus Wood
Hello,
I have received several emails recently asking for my advice about Cocus Wood allergies. I thought that it might be helpful to some of you if I posted my thoughts and experiences on this list.
I received a new Cocus headjoint from Patrick Olwell about two years ago and played it with no ill effect for about six months. Then, I began to notice slight swelling and redness around my chin. I suspect that the shop finish had worn away and I was now in direct contact with the wood. Unfortunately, this happened at the start of a very busy time … I was teaching at five summer schools back to back and was on tour in Europe for six weeks, in other words, I was playing six or seven hours a day for two and a half months. Consequently, I developed quite a serious reaction.
At the time, I thought that it was just a minor problem and that if I used loads of oil on the headjoint, things would sort themselves out. Wrong! By the end of the summer things were getting serious ( by this point I was using self adhesive plastic film around the embouchure). I stopped playing for several weeks until my chin and lip had cleared up. I started to play again (this time on an ebonite flute) and within minutes the reaction had started again.
After many experiments with various kinds of self adhesive plastic and paint-on finishes, I have discovered one technique that works (I have been using it for a while now, with no sign of a reaction). I have to thank Rod Cameron for suggesting this to me:
You will need to practice on some wood first (to get used to the glue and so on).
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Clean the area you are going to finish with acetone (to remove grease and dirt).
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Mask out the area … the shape of your choice ( I used ordinary scotch tape … make sure that the edges are well down, or else the glue will wick underneath).
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Using a Q tip, paint the area with super glue. Do NOT use the gel type, use the ‘runniest’ you can find. Be careful that it doesn’t run into the embouchure. Paint along the grain. This is where the practice is important. Some brands of Q tip lose their ‘fluff’ more than others, so find ones that stay together the longest. You probably won’t be able to paint the whole area in one go (as the glue will start to set up and drag the Q tip) … so do it in sections.
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If you are not happy with the finish, rub it down with super fine steel wool and go over it again. (You’ll have to remove the masking to rub down ).
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When you are satisfied, (and the glue is dry) wipe over the area with acetone.
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Make up a “polish” by soaking an area of paper towel with raw linseed oil (NOT boiled) and then squeeze a few drops of super glue on this. Use this mixture to rub down the area.
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After this has dried, peel back the tape and oil around the rest of the headjoint (the tape will have lifted some of the old oil off). You’ll have a clear finish.
I did not find self adhesive plastic to be much help. Eventually the edges begin to lift and these in turn irritate the skin. It’s also quite difficult to lay it down smoothly without small bubbles and creases, which in time wear and cause irritation.
A silver lip plate would be a possibility (although I’ve seen a number of these plates that have lifted) but for the moment this works for me.
It would be very easy to dimiss the allergy (it only seems to affect 5 to 10% of people), but if you begin to show signs and ignore it (as I did) , you could become so sensitive, that any material against your chin would cause a reaction. Frank Claudy (who is a fine flute player as well as a doctor) was helpful in explaining this allergy to me. It seems that the biggest worry is that if you carry on ignoring it, it could turn systemic. You could then find your fingers covered in blisters! (or any other part of your body that comes in contact with your flute).
I hope that I haven’t bored you ‘non-cocus’ people. I played an (old) cocus wood flute for twenty five years, so this has all been quite a shock!
Best wishes, John
PS I’m thinking of getting someone to make me a flute out of one of the enormous poison ivy vines that grow here. It couldn’t be any worse, could it?
If anyone else feels brave enough to try this, please let me know how it turns out…
Loren
