So, I think I have broken my Clarke Original Whistle in C yesterday. I tried to optimize it (as it was one of these machine built can-straws with no soul) by taking a bit of the block, and flatten the fipple and such.. I know how the sound is adjusted but I don’t know how much each little correction should be fixed..
It went wrong, and I managed to bump the metal and it might be damaged..
I could buy a new one, or take up the challenge on dissembling it, stretch the metal and assemble it again.
Well, I’m asking here, if anyone could kindly provide me with a drawing of a theoretically perfect clarke Original whistle please?
I have tried googling it first, but no luck I’m afraid..
Thanks a lot!
[ Changed title from “Thin Weasel” (?) to “Clarke”. - Mod ]
I don’t have a drawing of one but I think a theoretically perfect Clarke is called a Copeland whistle. Michael Copeland started by deconstructing a Clarke to make his first whistle.
I’ve not ruined a Clarke in all the fussing about I have done with them, not yet anyway. Unless you’ve cracked the tin I would think it could be brought back to life. As for the geometry. The leading edge of the blade should be just a tiny bit higher than the floor of the windway. What’s “a tiny bit higher” mean? Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it? Depends on what you want the result to be.
Do you have a photo of what damage you’ve wrought on the whistle? That might help us diagnose a recovery program. Or you could buy another one.
If it’s not playing now, you can’t really hurt too much by tinkering some more. Make TINY changes, then test play the whistle from bottom to top, noting carefully how it’s changed. Trial and error, really.
Depending on where you are, they really are quite inexpensive (on Amazon, say). You could get another one and then diabolically experiment on the damaged one to your heart’s content
Can you view one in a shop? The proprietor might eye you a bit if you are taking measurements, sure …
I think I know what a theoretically perfect Clarke looks like.
You don’t need to modify the block in any way. The soundblade should be adjusted so that the edge of the soundblade follows as closely as possible the shape of the windway floor. In other words, when you sight through the beak looking towards the soundblade edge, the rectangle of daylight you see under the soundblade and above the windway floor should be the same width all the way from one side to the other.
The top of the beak should be flattened so it doesn’t have as much arch as originally, reducing the height of the windway. This will reduce the air requirement and help focus the timbre. If you reduce the height of the windway too much at the outlet end where the windsheet spills into the voicing window area, the whistle will buzz on the lowest notes. Usually, the closest you can flatten the windway ceiling without getting the buzz gives the best effect. The difference between buzzing and not buzzing can be a remarkably small difference in the position of the metal.
Both the adjustment to the windway ceiling and the position of the soundblade edge relative to the windway floor will take some experimentation to optimize. On conical whistles, usually the best position for the soundblade edge is about a third of the way up from the windway floor, so two thirds of the windway height as you sight through the beak is above the soundblade and one third is below the soundblade.
If you replace the whistle, these instructions still apply, and depending on the condition of the whistle you have, it may be easier just to replace it and then tweak that new whistle. Nowadays, Clarkes have the soundblade in a curved configuration, which is inefficient in producing music and creates a lot of air noise. This is easy to correct, and the improvement is direct.
Do you have a photo of what damage you’ve wrought on the whistle? That might help us diagnose a recovery program. Or you could buy another one.
Jup, here you go!
and
@Jerry - I think I know what you mean - When I look from the exit-end of the flute, the slit should be visible and clear.
Likewise, when I blow into it, I should be able to feel the smallest amount of wind on my fingers.. Right?
Unless the block has been damaged, based on what I see in your photo, that whistle should be serviceable. I would be inclined to take some time and peel off the paint on the beak, since it’s already flaking off.
I’m sorry to say, I don’t have time to make drawings for you. This is what I do for a living, and it’s my only source of income. I need to spend most of my time actually doing the work, although within reason, I’m happy to offer some coaching here. What I’ve written for you should be more than sufficient if you take the trouble to understand it.
You mentioned feeling some air when you blow the whistle to determine if it’s working correctly. I’ve never used this as any kind of diagnostic, so I can’t say if it’s a useful way to evaluate your project. I will say, you need to devise tools and methods to manipulate the sheet metal so you can produce smooth, controlled shapes and not such ragged contours.
Thanks for the picture. One thing I will observe is that it is wise to deal with moving the edge of the blade as a whole and not in smaller sections. You want to keep the alignment of the blade to the windway exit uniform.
I would think that what has been described her should be enough to repair your tin whistle. Folks have given you good, useful advice here. But if you are one of those folks that has to have a picture painted for them then here is an attempt at one in profile.
Remove the block first. Then what you need to repair the whistle, in my estimation, is to make a simple hardwood mandrel from suitably sized square stock. Here’s a picture of how that would work.
Then a tack hammer or tin smith hammer should be enough to persuade the metal back into shape. Replace the block. Shouldn’t be hard to figure out!
Give it a go! You can’t hurt the whistle any more. Can you? I was a systems engineer and software architect for 35+ years. Don’t sell yourself short. Anyone can make whistles. You can fix this. Or at least have a laugh trying to fix it.
Frankenwhistle? I don’t know. Frankenwhistles around here seem to be recognized as those that have parts from different brands/models of whistles mixed together. You know, Feadog head on a Waltons body, Sweetone head on a Gen Bb body and so on. Ultimately it has to be able to play “Puttin’ On the Ritz” once assembled. Really , do a search on “Frankenwhistle” and you’ll see some really interesting developments from the past, GenDogs and such.
I really don’t know what you call a whistle merely brought back from the dead. I’d probably call it a Lazarus whistle.
