[Q] Caring for wooden fipples

Whistle
1

Hello all. First post! :party:

As winter approaches, I feel my annual stirrings to start learning the tin whistle again. Just about each year I embark on this and end up stalling because I’m too self concious of the neighbours hearing my unearthly squeekings. However, this year should be different because I now have a largish garden shed with electricity piped to it providing me with an isolated, warm, and bright practice room to retire to among the wood shavings.

To that end, I have ordered (with some trepidation) the Mary Bergin tutor vol. 1 and it is currently winging its way to me. I’ve also dusted off my collection of whistles. The best of them is an Shaw C which has a wooden fipple. I recall from past endeavours that this gets rather wet and soggy after a while. So my question is, what is the best way to care for a wooden fipple? Periodically give it a rest and let it dry? Do nothing and stop worrying? Give it a wipe with some mineral oil?

Thanks in advance.

Alex

2

Hi Alex

Welcome to the forum. No doubt there will be several replies to your question.

I have a Shaw F and it’s a cracker. Every few months using a peice of card I wipe the fipple with grape seed oil.

I have had no problem with the whistle since doing this.

Ian.

By the way my family comes from Frome.

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Welcome to the Whistle Forum. :slight_smile:

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Thanks for the advice. I have a large bottle of food-safe mineral oil for preparing cutting boards. I think I’ll give my whistle a little tickle of that. On a related note, I’ve noticed the wood is very tight grained. Does anyone know what wood the Shaw whistles use? Just curious as woodworking is one of my other hobbies.

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Hello Fromey! You appear to be a relative of mine. :wink: