The long F on my Morvan doesn’t always close and often gets opened when I set the flute down or pick it up. Is this something a mechanically disinclined individual can fix themselves or should I seek out professional help?
Sure - it’s simple system … simple fix especially if it’s block mounted or pin mounted.
First check it’s parallel and straight down the long F key without denting, kinking or bent out of shape. Soft cases are the worse for this - ill fitting lids which squash the F key and deform the soft silver too. It can straighten easily when you analyse the rocker action at the pivot.
Check the foot of the pivot is placed on the metal stand if there is it - if it slips, it takes a longer action.
If the key is not deformed slightly (imperceptibly) nor angled to slow down its action, then unpin it using soft tweezers and a pin to push from the opposite end. You can press the F key down at the pivot to allow the pin to glide out effortlessly.
Check the pin is not bent; lubricate with valve oil (low residue) - not WD40 and wipe clean away any gunk or debris.
Then resassemble.
That’s what I do - always the long C or the long F key which goes slow action!
Sounds to me, est, that the spring on the key is set a little too weakly. But let’s not assume that immediately.
Can you confirm that the flute is block mounted - that the keys are set in wooden blocks integral with the body of the instrument, not between metal posts inserted into it.
Either way, the key probably has a spring whose tip bears onto a metal plate either set into the wooden block where it is hinged, or into a metal plug set into the wood between the metal posts. Friction at this point is deadly. Can you introduce a little lubricant under the spring tip (some vaseline, petroleum jelly or similar, introduced by a toothpick)? Work the key back and forth afterwards and report back if that is enough to solve the problem. If not, we can go on to talk about increasing spring pressure.
They keys are block mounted. Sadly, we don’t have any vaseline right now. Would cork grease work?
If not, I’ll run by the drugstore later today and grab a little tub.
Thanks for the tip. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Yeah, cork grease will be fine. Let us know if that’s enough or we have to go to the next step.
So, it took 3 or 4 attempts at application (not sure I necessarily got it far enough the first or second try, but it does seem to be working again. I did order some valve oil based on Tonehole’s recommendation. Is it a good idea to disassemble these from time to time to lubricate them? My other flute’s tuning slide is very scratchy, so I ordered some trombone grease to apply to that as well, hoping it glides a bit more easily.
Cork grease is usually fine there, also. However, “scratchy?” - you might want to wipe the slide clean first, and perhaps polish a little if there is any corrosion to clean off.
Hm, I never thought to try the cork grease…
The “scratchy” part comes from corrosion. It’s a mid-19th century flute and came to me rusted. It slides but not very smoothly. Does it matter what you use to polish it with?
Depends on the material. I can usually clean with a piece of cotton T-shirt. Could try soap & water, water w/baking soda or salt, Brasso.
I’ve had a key get tight from a little movement in the wood. With the permission of the maker, I sanded just a little off the inside of the blocks and it was fine after that.
Final resolution of my slow F!
So, the problem had come and gone. I could usually get it to behave with some agressive toggling before I started to play so it wasn’t a huge concern. But…after a big swig of coffee, I decided to pull the key out and inspect it. Turns out, it was super goopy around the pinhole. So, I wiped the key down with a bit of cloth and then tried to do the same inside the channel where the key sits and it seems to be much better now.
Is this gunk typical for years of play or was this likely a spill that got mopped up except the bit that seeped around the key? I believe the flute was made around 2016 or 18 (I’ve had it for almost 1.5 years).
Seems like a good time opportinuty to do some cleanup of the keys would be after removing them to oil it. Now that I’ve removed one intentionally (and managed to get it back into place without too much difficulty), I suspect I won’t feel so apprehensive of removing the keys instead of the saran wrap trick next time.