Chiff and Fipple Forums

Recently I was asked what are the helpful little accoutraments that every flute player should carry with them, and I'm interested in what the rest of you carry with your flutes for quick fixes.
The two items I always have on hand with my flute is teflon tape (for that corked joint that suddenly decides to wobble) or dental floss, for the threaded joint that wants to do the same. Invariably I'm handing them to other flute players in the session and have yet to use them on my own flute!
What about the rest of you? What do you carry and why?

Always teflon tape, for sure. It's the woodwind player's duct tape.

Dental floss as wrapped-tenon equivalent to teflon tape intrigues me. How do you wrap it?
<ul>-Rich</ul>

Normally counter-clockwise to the tenon wrap. It seems to sit better. I should have mentioned the flat floss works best, especially the waxed variety.

Just tried it, works like a charm. It's my old Sweetheart flute so I wasn't going to bother taking it in and having it rewrapped, but teflon tape on the wrapped tenon just flattened in, and now the joint's as stable as ever. Thanks!

Careful, Rich. Teflon on threading has the tendency to push the paper-thin tape between the threads and you mount/dismount the parts. The result: Loose joint again. You'll inevitably find yourself having to put tape over tape over tape. Then you'll have to pick it all out later with tweezers. That's why the floss is best on threads and the tape best on cork. Granted, these are only temp fixes.

On 2001-09-16 18:46, David Migoya wrote:

You'll inevitably find yourself having to put tape over tape over tape. Then you'll have to pick it all out later with tweezers.

<i>Now</i> you tell me. Actually, my response to it getting too loose was to await the arrival of the Dixon polymer that was on its way. Getting the Sweet playable again is just a bonus until I get moved and find someone to rewrap it.

I knew floss had to be good for <i>something</i>.
<ul>-Rich</ul>