I just got a Burke Brass all pro, and it suggested using detergent to cut down on the clogging of the windway. Does anyone have suggestions of what type of soap to use? The kind I use for dishes has a lemon scent, and so may also be somewhat acidic. Is something extremely basic like Ivory the best bet?
thanks,
baen
I haven’t found anything better than Jet-Dry.
Is this an old Burke? I’ve never heard of a Burke clogging before.
Someone posted some type of fancy organic natural soap a while back. Had a fancy name. Cost almost as much as silver. They say it worked well.
I’m with Gary – Jet-Dri. It’s specifically to reduce the surface tension and keep water from beading up. I dilute it a few to one with water and, depending on the whistle, just dip the mouthpiece in a more dilute solution or paint the windway with a less dilute solution.
Harrumph… I say Crabtree & Evelyn sandalwood shaving mug, old chaps…
Here’s an easy solution (I can’t claim responsibility for it - I learnt it from Mack): I use a piece of dryer fabric softener sheet. It’s really just soap in sheet form. I take a little coffee stirer, tear a piece of the sheet off and wrap it around a few times. Then swab the windway. Works great.
Best,
Erik
To butt in here with a bit of naivete…windway clogging…is that when I’m happily tooting away on the low D (Overton) and suddenly there’s no playing low notes–they just sort of hiss? If I rinse w/water or give it a good shake it sometimes behaves. So dryer sheets might be the proactive Rx for this?
Yes…moisture in the windway is the clogging problem you’re probably experiencing.
My recommendations are:
Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap – doesn’t taste too bad
or
Any dishwashing detergent – dilute a drop or two with water and swish the head in that
or
the above mentioned Jet-Dri, diluted the same amount
or…
Toothpaste, of the gel kind swabbed in and rinsed
this is the tastiest option, and the one designed to be in the mouth
Or…don’t do much of anything. Learn to warm it well before playing, keep it warm while you’re between tunes, give a quick suck to clear it, and a discreet shake in between tunes.
The Burkes don’t clog much.
Ok. I love Dr. Bronner’s peppermint…and have ever since backpacking in the 70’s and using it for everything from clothes washing to toothbrushing (kinda yuck–but maybe that was the almond.)
You could always read the bottle when you stopped for a snack.
I’ll be delighted to try dipping my whistle in it.
For Celtic music, Irish Spring, of course!
Actually a couple of drops of Dawn in an ounce of water works very well. You can put it in a small dropper bottle like the type eye drops come in and carry it with you.
If Irish Spring ever becomes available in liquid form, there will be no other choice of soap to coat the windways of our whistles… to use anything else would be pure blasphemy! 
Metal whistles only: Use Ivory Liquid. One teaspoon in a quart of water.
serpent
Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Oil Soap, diluted one-to-one with jasmine tea.