Chiff and Fipple Forums

I found and bought online a supposed mint condition USED Water Weasel whistle in D from Eagle Music Shop in England today and I wanted to ask what I should do as far as sanitizing it. Can I run a swab with alochol through it as I do with my Burke brass whistle? Anything else to be done?

I usually only worry about cleaning the fipple when getting a pre used whistle, I use denture cleaners, just soak it, run it up & down in the solution, then run water through it, dry it off, & give it a tune.

fatmac wrote:I usually only worry about cleaning the fipple when getting a pre used whistle, I use denture cleaners, just soak it, run it up & down in the solution, then run water through it, dry it off, & give it a tune.

Are you referring to the tablets that you drop into a cup?

Then just let the fipple head soak in the cup and then run the denture solution through the fipple head and the bore tube and out?

Also, would dish soap and water ran through the Water Weasel hurt it? Fipple and all?

How about rubbing (isopropyl) alochol?

Are you referring to the tablets that you drop into a cup?

Yes, that's what I use.

My whistles have mainly plastic fipples, on metal ones I use dishwashing liquid (Fairy,etc.), soak the fipple, & wash the tubes through, rinse with clean water, dry, & play.

(I don't have any wooden whistles or flutes.)

fatmac wrote:

Are you referring to the tablets that you drop into a cup?

Yes, that's what I use.

My whistles have mainly plastic fipples, on metal ones I use dishwashing liquid (Fairy,etc.), soak the fipple, & wash the tubes through, rinse with clean water, dry, & play.

(I don't have any wooden whistles or flutes.)

I assume you're using a mixture of soap and water, is this correct? Can I run this all the way through the whistle from fipple through to the tube? Then wash it out with water and dry it out?

Take my advice with a grain of salt, since I've never had a Water Weasel, but my cleaning process for metal or plastic whistles has always been to wash with dish soap and water. Maybe using some thread or something really gently in the wind way. I've also used rubbing alcohol, but I always consult the maker before I go that route, in case the material reacts.

dyersituations wrote:Take my advice with a grain of salt, since I've never had a Water Weasel, but my cleaning process for metal or plastic whistles has always been to wash with dish soap and water. Maybe using some thread or something really gently in the wind way. I've also used rubbing alcohol, but I always consult the maker before I go that route, in case the material reacts.

Of course, I appreciate your help! I would ask him, but he passed years ago. Does anybody that owns a Water Weasel see any reason why soap and water would be bad? Rubbing alcohol?

As recommend by Michael Burke, I usually use a mixture of soap and water and drip it into the fipple window to let it help with clogging. I assume it also cleans at least some. I use alochol pulled on a swab through the bore tube. This is with my Burke brass D whistle.

I have a large set of Water Weasels that I purchased from Glenn Schultz (the maker, God rest his soul). He advised cleaning his PVC whistles with a very mild detergent and water.

Elspeth wrote:I have a large set of Water Weasels that I purchased from Glenn Schultz (the maker, God rest his soul). He advised cleaning his PVC whistles with a very mild detergent and water.

Thanks for that! It seems based on my research that dish washing soap like Dawn counts as mild detergent.

According to one website:

"Liquid dishwashing detergents and soaps are made for washing dishes by hand, and they are perhaps the most commonly used mild detergents. "

Elspeth wrote:I have a large set of Water Weasels that I purchased from Glenn Schultz (the maker, God rest his soul). He advised cleaning his PVC whistles with a very mild detergent and water.

Elspeth, what is the process you use to clean your Water Weasels?

I have a set of water weasels also from Fred Schultz directly. I have never cleaned them. They don't tarnish and I haven't had any buildup inside anywhere. I have also wondered what the mouthpiece plug is made of. It almost looks like wood, but finished. If that plug is wood soaking could be a bad idea. Rinsing might be ok.

Most of us wouldn't feel the need to soak a water glass while doing dishes, even if we don't know who drank from it. We dunk it, wipe it, dry it, and consider it clean.

If it isn't a moldy mess I wouldn't go nuts.

Rinse with dish soap and water and dry immediately if you must.

I've gotten a few used whistles and borrowed and loaned whistles but never felt the need to sanitize.

But you need to use your own judgement.

busterbill wrote:I have a set of water weasels also from Fred Schultz directly.....

Darn spelchek turned "Glenn" into "Fred".

Best wishes.

Steve

busterbill wrote:I have a set of water weasels also from Fred Schultz directly. I have never cleaned them. They don't tarnish and I haven't had any buildup inside anywhere. I have also wondered what the mouthpiece plug is made of. It almost looks like wood, but finished. If that plug is wood soaking could be a bad idea. Rinsing might be ok.

Most of us wouldn't feel the need to soak a water glass while doing dishes, even if we don't know who drank from it. We dunk it, wipe it, dry it, and consider it clean.

If it isn't a moldy mess I wouldn't go nuts.

Rinse with dish soap and water and dry immediately if you must.

I've gotten a few used whistles and borrowed and loaned whistles but never felt the need to sanitize.

But you need to use your own judgement.

If the mouthpiece plug is wood I wouldn't want to screw that up. I may just leave the whistle alone if it looks okay.

Three questions:

Can anybody that has any Water Weasel instructions that came with it scan that in and send me a copy in case I don't get a copy with the whistle?

Assuming the mouthpiece plug is wood for a moment, what process could I use to clean the fipple?

Is there any o-ring or anything I need to watch out for when taking taking the head and body apart?