I'm posting new threads like crazy as of late! I got a cleaning brush with my Pinegrove Leather roll about a year ago.

What are they good for in regards to the whistle and which Whistle material (brass, aluminium, PVC, etc) can I use it with and not damage the whistle tube or head?

I've only used it once on my Killarney whistle.

You are. Perhaps a t-shirt purchase recommendation, if you don't mind?




Seriously, don't worry about the cleaning, just play the things and if they get dirty after a year or so, rinse them out with warm water and perhaps a bit of fairy liquid.

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Good advice! I can be a bit OCD haha.

Asking questions is good. But a litttle of confidence, using a bit of common sense and not making mountains out of molehills is also good.

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My brain hurts

Nah, if you were really OCD, you'd have trouble with the punctuation on the shirt.

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Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
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"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

To answer the question: if it fits as a swab in a whistle tube it can come in handy for drying. If your Abell needs oiling at some point it could also be of use there. I wouldn't use a swab with the mouthpiece still attached to the whistle tube since it can bump around and do accidental damage.

I also don't clean my whistles that often, but when I do I swab them out and do end up with a bit of gunk on whatever I have used. Usually I assume this is tarnish. I honestly have never done any cleaning on my water weasels as they have never appeared dirty. I have an O'roidan blackwood set I oil now and again so I use a Super Colossal craft pipe cleaner to spread oil in the tube. You can get a lifetime supply of those in a pack for a few bucks on Amazon. Oboe players use feathers for bore cleaning and oiling actually.

Good natured ribbing aside: Thinking is fine. Thinking is fun. As one of the folks who's been responding to your posts I've enjoyed your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.

Thank you, Busterbill, I appreciate it. I do have enthusiasm for knowledge in general.I played clarinet in elementary, high school, and college and minored in music. Though I like clarinet, when I was young I picked up a tin whistle in Williamsburg, VA and it intrigued me. It is only in the last year and a half that I decided when I have time to do it, I will learn the ITM approach and learn the whistle with vigour. So yes, I seek knowledge.

The brush to which I am referring is like this (see link).
https://www.amazon.com/Cleaning-Brush-for-Clarke-Tinwhistle/dp/B00A6GQJD0

Could I use that for oiling or no? I usually run a swab hooked to a swab rod through my whistle for cleaning.

I do have an Abell whistle I got back in October. How often should I oil it? You mentioned you oil your wood whistle

And I also very lightly used a brush like the one at the link to clean some of the mouthpiece of my Killarney, but I didn't go all the way up in it and I had the mouthpiece disconnected from the tube of course.

That brush looks like it has really hard bristles. I am not sure I would use it for anything, actually. I was thinking the bristles would be more like the bristles you see on soprano recorder brushes. These are usually soft, formerly cotton, now mostly poly. Nylon bristles seem like overkill for whistles. But even these aren't something you really need. The tubes of whistles are relatively easy to get into. I have a chopstick I use as a swab. I sewed a piece of actual chamois I sewed into a sleeve and slipped it on the chopstick. It is plenty long to swab from both ends. I use this when I want to polish a brass whistle inside. Chamois can also be washed so you can rinse off any residue. And air dry.

As for the Abell whistles, I'd go directly to the maker and ask them how often to oil and what to use. The maker would be your ultimate expert.

https://www.abellflute.com/care_and_maintenance/

For blackwood, I'd follow the recommendations for swabbing out, and limit oiling to 1-2x/year. Keep humidified, ie: in a solid (not soft) case with a small humidifier, such as a Humistat #1 (https://www.humistat.com/products/ ). Add a 3M or Hagerty anti-sulfur/tarnish strip to deter tarnish on the silver fittings.

_________________
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
http://www.worldtrad.org

I do have an African Blackwood Abell in D. What hard case would you recommend and where would in place the humidifier?
I've currently got the Abell in a Pinegrove Leather whistle roll with other whistles.

Any sort of Tupperware kind of plastic box of the appropriate size that seals well will work. Place the humidifier in the box with the whistle. Put in something to add some moisture (e.g. a pill case with some holes added and a piece of wet sponge in the pill case) that will prevent direct contact of the sponge with the whistle.

Keep an eye on the leather case to ensure it doesn't develop mildew.

Best wishes.

Steve

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"Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege."

Gun case, plastic craft case, or something fancier, such as a presentation case like:
http://www.hhfi.biz/products.html

Chris Abell has a price for a whistle case on his website, but I don't know what type it is (might be a soft case).
https://www.abellflute.com/prices/

_________________
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
http://www.worldtrad.org

Forgive me, maybe I'm not understanding, but would I still need a pill case with wet sponge with the recommended humidifier too? It looks like the humidifier that was recommended will need water in it... Would that not provide moisture in the case without the need for the pill case? I'm sure I'm misunderstanding somewhere.

Also, how does all this fit in a presentation case: with the whistle in it?

Finally, to which leather case are you referring? Are you talking about my Pinegrove Leather roll that I have the Abell in?

Thanks for your help and clarification on this!

The wet sponge method is just a home-made humidifier. I have previously used a small plastic travel soapdish, with hole in the top, filled with those water beads they have in craft stores (usually for house plants - prefer the clear, not dyed color). Stick a sponge on top of that (even better, a PVA sponge), & close the soap container. This provides moisture for quite a long time without having to refresh with water. I use the Humistat #1 mostly, as it is easier to make room in a flute or gun case. I use the larger one (#3) in guitar cases.

_________________
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
http://www.worldtrad.org