I’m putting this on this forum. I just bought a cheap cane flute. It plays nice but it smells like someone just put out a campfire. Will this smell go away? Can I make the smell go away faster? I’m hesitant to even oil the flute in case I seal in the smell. What should I do? What should I do?
Hurry Hurry.
Go camping!!! 
Bamboo flutes are generally heat cured which sometimes involves running the material through a flame. Also the tone holes are generally burned through with a hot poker. That is possibly the origin of the odor. I guess it’s best to smell it before you buy it. The nose knows, as they say.
I can’t give you any clues on how to get rid of the smell, sorry.
Feadoggie
Mine smelled fer over 20 years. I finally broke it on a skree field. It’s in the garage. I can’t smell it from here.
maybe one day…
Amazon.com doesn’t have a scratch 'n sniff feature.
Personally, I LIKE the smell! It does seem to be less strong as it ages a bit. Also, when I bought it (a Woodsong flute) a couple of months ago, the maker specifically told me NOT to oil it - even told me a horror story about how he lost a whole “buy” of shakuhachi bodies because he oiled them.
Pat
Tone holes are burnt in cane because it is difficult to drill. Cane is very fibrous and the fibers can hang on the drill and pull the cane apart. You can remove some of the smell by running water through it to flush out the dust. A wet swab may not work as it may get hung on some of the fibers inside.
My wife has two odor cures that seem to always work (one or the other): baking soda or vinegar.
I’d try the baking soda first.
Basically this is something that goes with the territory, usually.
If it’s there you live with it. At least what I’ve always done.
You get used to it. It may improve with time.
I personally wouldn’t do anything to the flute.
Great ideas folks. I think “Go Camping” is the universal solution. I think I’ll try the baking soda first, since it’s dry. Then I’ll try the wet solutions. I used Febreeze on a concertina and that was pretty effective with a couple of applications. If the smell still lingers, I may add a drop or two of some pleasant smelling oil (guess which, hint: I’m a hippie) near the embouchure to blend with the campfire smell. Too bad it doesn’t smell like smores.
Rub marshmallows on it.
Won’t help but I couldn’t hurt.
Chocolate and Graham crackers are optional.
I’m with Mr Stone on this.
It goes with the territory.
Though a non smoker and a teetotaller
I look forward to engaging with that fire scent when I
pick up a bamboo flute - it makes me smoky, moody and bluesy.
It reminds me of campfire nights under the southern night sky.
Eerie thumps in the scrubland and the daze of burning twigs smoking my tea.
It reminds me too of my infancy by the cowdung hearth
I guess its like the savour of cork and oak in wine for those that drink of that.
It is whiff of the water loving reed coronated by fire
for its reign as a wind instrument
expressing the best that earth has to offer.
Let us celebrate the hot rodded reed …
Depending on the weather where you live, you might try leaving the flute outdoors in an airy but protected place. It will eventually get better.
Embrace the campfire image!
I have a native american flute made out of western red cedar that has the holes burned in it. I wouldn’t experiment too much either. It will ease off but probably not go away completely. I second the marshmellows.
Steve
So, will you say who made this flute? And what key it’s in?
And anything else worth telling? Very interested in
cane instruments, I am.
I got it from amazon.com. Mid-East Manufacturing Company is the maker. $10.71 + shipping. It’s in the key of F. I haven’t checked it against a tuner but it sounds nice in 2 octaves with a nice balance between both octaves. It’s an easy flute to play. I have a Low D whistle from this same company and it doesn’t smell like old campfire at all. The cane looks a bit toasted. Definitely on the brown rather than beige side. The threads are Yellow on my F flute. The threads are Kelly Green on my low whistle. I bet they’re color coded but that’s just a guess on my part.
Here’s the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Flute-Cane-FF-20-inches/dp/B0002JKIT2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1257949644&sr=1-5
Here’s the picture:
Just add a bit of this.
http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/candlemaking-soap-supplies/item/rf-134
Um- I have a cheap cane flute. It is in the key of C and was made by “Erik the flutemaker”. It also smelled quite “woodsy” when I first got it, but it has mellowed, or aired out enough that I hardly smell it anymore- and I have had it less than a year. I would say it will fade with time. He has a website- http://www.eriktheflutemaker.com/ and is hilarious! Check him out if you want and watch “the spiel”. heehee
Um… I’ve seen it thank you.
I’d suggest as plan B a few light shots of aerosol lacquer to seal in the scorch. If you go about it carefully enough to avoid drips, there must be very little chance of altering any accoustic property.