My nickel whistles that I play most often are developing a patina around only the top three finger holes and under my left thumb. I don’t object to the patina, but am wondering why.
I thought perhaps I’m not covering the holes tight enough and it’s caused by moist air leakage, or maybe I’m covering the holes TOO tight and it’s from sweat on my fingers or something.
If I’m developing bad fingering habits, I’d like to know before it gets too hard to break away. Anybody got any ideas?
Maybe your hands have different levels of acidity? 
Different acidity? I’d thought of that and figured it’s just too strange 
(edited to fix spelling)
[ This Message was edited by: Kendra on 2002-04-14 12:43 ]
Nickel plate tends to react to the oil on people’s fingers, and everyone has a little oil there unless you skin is dry and cracking. Its just normal I think for the nickel to turn dark like that. It doesn’t seen to affect the way the instrument plays luckily.
I know someone in my area who is very good at the whistle and has played it for years. His brass Feadog has a patina around every hole. I think it just happens with time.
It makes the whistles look loved!
I think the patina is developing only on those holes so far because they are the ones that are covered most often. You only cover the very bottom hole for the bell note, but you leave the top hole covered for D, E, F#, G, A, and B (on a D whistle).
If you’ve ever seen L.E. McCollough’s old Generation nickle D, he has actually worn off the nickle plating around the holes! Now thats a lot of playing!
Tres
I think Caru got it in one!
I have a Generation Nickel D that I use for practise at work - I only use it there, not every day, and I’ve had it only a couple of months, but the discolouration is starting to show around the holes, and where I rest my thumbs.
The nickel is actually slightly lighter around the holes, and yes, the gradation is visible (at the moment) from most at the top to least at the bottom.I guess that means I’m playing it lots, and that’s all to the good. Or maybe I just have sweaty hands.
I don’t know what a “patina” is, but both my aluminum and brass whistles have spots around the note holes where the finish has either worn off or discolored.
Don’t worry about it. With guitars and stringed instruments this is known as “personality;” it means the instrument has been played. In fact, a lot of people won’t accept that a vintage guitar, violin, or other stringed instrument is truly authentic if doesn’t have some “personality!”