Cleaning Brush
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Cleaning Brush
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.
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.
- Mr.Gumby
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Re: Cleaning Brush
You are. Perhaps a t-shirt purchase recommendation, if you don't mind?I'm posting new threads like crazy as of late!
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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Re: Cleaning Brush
Good advice! I can be a bit OCD haha.Mr.Gumby wrote:You are. Perhaps a t-shirt purchase recommendation, if you don't mind?I'm posting new threads like crazy as of late!
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.
- Mr.Gumby
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.
My brain hurts
- kkrell
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Re: Cleaning Brush
Nah, if you were really OCD, you'd have trouble with the punctuation on the shirt.Matthewlawson3 wrote:Good advice! I can be a bit OCD haha.Mr.Gumby wrote:You are. Perhaps a t-shirt purchase recommendation, if you don't mind?I'm posting new threads like crazy as of late!
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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Re: Cleaning Brush
kkrell wrote:Nah, if you were really OCD, you'd have trouble with the punctuation on the shirt.
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.
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.
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.busterbill wrote: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.
The brush to which I am referring is like this (see link).
https://www.amazon.com/Cleaning-Brush-f ... 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.
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.
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.
- kkrell
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Re: Cleaning Brush
https://www.abellflute.com/care_and_maintenance/Matthewlawson3 wrote:I do have an Abell whistle I got back in October. How often should I oil it?
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.
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Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
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Re: Cleaning Brush
I do have an African Blackwood Abell in D. What hard case would you recommend and where would in place the humidifier?kkrell wrote:https://www.abellflute.com/care_and_maintenance/Matthewlawson3 wrote:I do have an Abell whistle I got back in October. How often should I oil it?
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.
I've currently got the Abell in a Pinegrove Leather whistle roll with other whistles.
- Steve Bliven
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Re: Cleaning Brush
kkrell wrote: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.
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.Matthewlawson3 wrote: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.
Keep an eye on the leather case to ensure it doesn't develop mildew.
Best wishes.
Steve
Live your life so that, if it was a book, Florida would ban it.
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Re: Cleaning Brush
Gun case, plastic craft case, or something fancier, such as a presentation case like:Matthewlawson3 wrote:I do have an African Blackwood Abell in D. What hard case would you recommend and where would in place the humidifier?kkrell wrote:https://www.abellflute.com/care_and_maintenance/Matthewlawson3 wrote:I do have an Abell whistle I got back in October. How often should I oil it?
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.
I've currently got the Abell in a Pinegrove Leather whistle roll with other whistles.
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)
https://www.worldtrad.org
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.Steve Bliven wrote:kkrell wrote: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.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.Matthewlawson3 wrote: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.
Keep an eye on the leather case to ensure it doesn't develop mildew.
Best wishes.
Steve
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!
- kkrell
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Re: Cleaning Brush
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.Matthewlawson3 wrote: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.
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)
https://www.worldtrad.org
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org