Hi all,
I’m (slowly) progressing with a Clarke orginal, whose sound I love. But, it clogs fast (every 1 or 2 tunes). Does the soap/jet dry trick work on wooden fipples like the Clarke, or is there some other magic trick? Asking beforehand in hopes of avoiding ruination of the whistle…
Thanks!
I’ve played a Clarke Original for years, off and on, more off than on since I got my Overtons and my Copeland, and really haven’t seen that problem. The windway on mine is so open that clogging with moisture really isn’t possible. I readily admit, however, that yours may be different!
The problems I did have with mine had to do with the wooden fipple shrinking with use, and therefore leaking air around the sides, and with the grain in the windway “raising” from the moisture and disrupting the air stream. I had previously used mineral oil to condition a cheap maplewood fife I used to use, so I plunked the Clarke in a bottle of it, fipple end first, and left it to sit overnight. In the morning I took it out and propped it in a corner on some paper towels to drain. That took care of my problems with the wooden fipple.
Note that the wood used in Clarke fipples is very porous and that’s why mineral oil works with them. Hardwoods are more dense, and mineral oil won’t penetrate them very well. I use almond oil, mixed with a little olive oil, on instruments made of grenadilla.
Yes-- you can use Jet Dry, etc on wooden whistles. I have used a commercial product called Duponol for years on my Thin Weasel, as well as on very expensive wooden recorders, with good results, and no ill effects. Your homemade solution will work just as well-- I like the Duponol mainly because it comes in a little dropper bottle so you can carry it with you and apply it as needed at a session ( or recorder workshop). You can get it at courtlymusic.com
Thanks!