My Rose whistle is, as we speak, barreling Buhl-ward in Beth’s car at 75 mph. I can hardly wait. When it arrives I will have the ultimate whistle-off to see if it can sway me from the birdseye maple Thin Weasle that has totally captivated me (if you’ve wondered why I haven’t been posting much it’s because I’ve actually been PLAYING…imagine).
Anyhoo, I was just wondering if the soap treatment done for slobber control on regular whistles can be done on the wooden-fippled ones. Though the wooden whistles are FAR less prone to vaporlock issues (IMHO) it is still occasionally an issue.
My answer to that question is Yes…and No. Really depends on the whistle and how you apply the soapy solution.
My advice is this: On most wooden whistles it’s relatively safe to apply a VERY small amount of soap, soapy solution, or Duponol to the inside of the windway using a cut and folded business card or soft (non metal core) pipe cleaner. Apply a small enough amount that the solution will dry before being absorbed into any wooden parts of the windway. This should be safe enough on most woodenwhistles (Disclaimer: Always ask the maker FIRST!!)
Now, having said that…DO NOT TREAT THE WINDWAY ON A ROSE!!! Um, did you get that? The Rose has a somewhat unique (to whistles) windway design that makes it more vulnerable to radical changes in moisture content. I’m speaking from experience here, introducing excess moisture into the windway can have catastophic effects that may ruin the whistle, so don’t go dunking it in a glass of soapy water. I wouldn’t even swab the windway with anything wet.
The Rose is a fantastic whistle, and very well made, no reason for anyone to fear buying one. All I’m suggesting is that it’s risky business to start swabbing the windway with anything wet. Since the Rose windway is fully wood-lined, you should have little problem with clogging anyway.
Loren
[ This Message was edited by: Loren on 2002-08-10 17:01 ]
i’d maybe recommend soapy water to rid your rose of aphids,but NOT for your Rose whistle(lol)! Do let us know what you think of it when you finally get to play it!
The Rose is here. A Weasel a Rose and a Grinter in the same house. Somebody help me! I swear I’m only keeping one. Maybe I’ll flip a coin. Anybody got a coin with three sides?
Throw the three whistles REAL HIGH up in the air - the one that comes back down, keep it. (assuming any fall back to your location and not some other hands )
Yes, Doc, in general the soap trick is OK to use on wooden whistles. I don’t know why it is not suggested for a Rose, although with wood all around the windway and no metal roof, clogging shouldn’t be as much of a problem as on a whistle with a metal roofed windway. Warming up the whistle before playing is still the very best way to deal with this problem. I’ve been using the soap thingie on the whistles I make (Delrin fipple, not wood), and on my high end wooden recorders (cedar plug)for years with good results and no problems.
Looks like that Blackwood I’ll be sending you will be in some pretty awe inspiring company…
That’s Ok Paul. The little blackwood will never be a big shot if he doesn’t butt heads with the Big Boys. Besides, you’re way ahead in the price department and how many guys have a whistle made buy a podiatrist?
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