Recently read where a major flute maker said that Vaseline
(petroleum jelly) could be used as a lubricant for cork tenon joints. Anyone out there use this source and how does it work ? TIA.
I’ve seen players use vaseline, and seen it recommended by some makers. I’ve also seen some makers who claim vaseline will damage the corked tenon over time. I don’t know by what mechanism it is supposed to cause damage. Who knows what to believe, with all the conflicting advice?
I think it’s Rod Cameron who suggests making cork grease by mixing vaseline and beeswax together in equal proportions by melting them together on the stove.
Me, I just buy commercial cork grease and use it. Maybe I’m just lazy.
I just mixed a batch of beeswax/vaseline this weekend and so far I like it. I’ve heard folks recommend beeswax/almond oil mixture also.
Eddie
I just use commercial cork grease. It comes in a tube that looks a lot like ChapStik (my wife almost used it that way once – oops!). Very easy to apply, you don’t use too much, it works well, and I think it cost less than a dollar for what will probably last me at least a couple of years. You can get it at pretty much any music store that sells wind instruments (even just the common ones like clarinets, doesn’t have to be trad). No fuss, no muss!
Steven
Commerical cork is just fine, I just can’t help tinkering about with homemade solutions.
Eddie
Michael Cronnolly used to make his own cork grease using plumber’s wax and vegatable oil. I don’t think he does this anymore, but I still have a tin of it that came with my first M&E flute. It does work, and has a faint smell a bit like roasted sunflower seeds.
But I never actually use it–I just grab cork grease at the local music store.
–James
I just use vaseline, a very tiny amount rubbed into the cork once every six months or so, or whenever the flute gets hard to put together. Works fine for me.
Glenn Schultz recommends either cork grease or chapstik. Chapstik doesn’t seem to penetrate as much, but seems to work fine as long as you don’t let the cork dry out.
it seems that most recommend against using pertoleum based products like vaseline. I guess the petroleum distillates evaporate leaving a sticky goo behind.
Basic commercial lip balm style cork grease for me…although I stay away from the wintergreen-scented stuff. I just don’t care for that.
I wondered what that stuff was that came with the M&E…I really thought it was an automotive-type lube grease! What the heck; it’s a polymer beast, anyway…
The best stuff to use is Doctor Slick’s slippery Elm Bark Extract . 