Anyone have any thoughts on the use of these products on whisltes made from exotic woods such as blackwood.
I,m not sure of the exact contents of furniture renovators like pledge but if they contain driers such as tuolene they are best avoided. You should be looking for products that contain Beswax/Carnauba wax combinations and those that state they are non-toxic.
My biggest concern would be breathing it in as you played. There must be a reason the sides of the bottles say, “Warning: Do not inhale. May cause injury or death.” 
Chris Abell recommends almond oil for his blackwood whistles.
I use a mixture of beeswax, almond oil and carnauba wax on my copper pennywhistles with good results. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on anything wood.
Look for a non-silicone based polish. I use an aerosol polish called “Wood Silk” on my flutes and wooden whistle after every playing. Keeps them looking wonderful, and no ill effects on blackwood or mopane.
I usually use the oil swab I use to oil my whistles to touch up the exterior after oiling. Just a very light coat, then wipe it off. I often use some Minwax furniture wax on new whistles, but I never bother with it on my own. I sort of like them getting a well-used appearance.
I just got my Lon Dubh back from Ireland. I had to send it off to be looked at after he who shall remain nameless swabbed the mouth piece with alcohol. 
Here’s what Patrick had to say, "I dont use any form of sealers on the whistles. All I do, is use olive oil and some beeswax to give it a shine.
“I like to leave the wood as natural as possible, I think it should help the sound to travel as the pores of the wood are open. If sealers are used the sound might not be the same.”
I will be following this advice from now on.
This did leave me with one big question though…Where do you get beeswax? From a bee of course, but there is a product that I found recommended by a Native American Flute maker. It’s Clapham Beeswax Salad Bowl and Buther Block Finish. It’s made from beeswax and is not only non-toxic, it’s edible. You can find it in 2 and 8 oz. tubs. Check goggle for a retailer near you. It ain’t cheap! Actually, it’s not too bad if you don’t have to have it shipped.
Mike
With any wood product, the polish should be compatible with the finish. There are many, many wood finishes out there. I’d check with the folks who made the whistle and go with their recommendation.
now this makes me a bit nervous…
Don’t be nervous wanderer, the person came to a good place to get information.
Of course the best place would be the maker of whatever whistle he may have.
Remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked.
Mike
lol, I can’t help it…I know which whistle he’s referring to, and it was in my whistle bag up until Friday 
But now that I’ve paid for it I can put Pledge on it…right?
Well, of course
But I’m not sure I’d do it, myself…
Don’t put Pledge on nice wood. Pledge on nice wood makes real wood finishers cringe. It can leave a dull residue, I think because of the silicon. If it were my wood, and it were already finished, I’d probably wax it. Johnson’s paste wax would probably be fine (the furniture stuff, not the car stuff), or Minwax finishing wax, as paul said.
Or I’d ask the person who made it, as some have suggested.
That warning is for when it’s liquid. Once finishes are cured, you’re not going to have an inhalent problem. Although if you bite the mouthpiece, you could ingest little pieces. I don’t know how that would be on your system. The stuff I’ve made generally isn’t meant to be chewed.
That is good to know. Since it’s for food serving bowls, it will be non-toxic, without any strange chemicals.
I just bought a hunk of beeswax today, coincidentally. I use it to help seal the thread when I tie my oboe reeds. You can buy it in a fabric store. Seamstresses use it to coat their thread and keep it from tangling quite so easily. Or, if you want to buy it from a music store, Forrests’ Double Reeds sells little blocks of it. Not that I am trying to turn you all into oboists. Maybe pipers? (tee hee)
http://www.forrestsmusic.com/ Just search for wax.
You can get beeswax at Tandy Leather, too..slightly bigger block..
http://www.tandyleather.com/prodinfo.asp?number=201400&variation=&aitem=11&mitem=72
I used to use this when saddle-stiching boots and stuff for the Renaissance festivals I visit.
It may be advisable to go with the proprietary wax furniture finishes that contain a mixture of beeswax and carnauba in a carrier - much easier to apply and harder wearing than pure beeswax. For those in the UK, Rustins do a mix of the two waxes in an emulsion and is non-toxic, Bri-wax (Toluene free version) is similar but probably uses turpentine as its solvent and seems to be a little harder and glossier than the Rustins.
Ok- so how do you prevent swelling in the mouthpiece? I understand the playing-in period so the wood hydrates evenly, but when that happens the wood will swell, right? And in some instruments that might mean it will swell so much that you can’t play it again until it’s dried out. Has anyone dealt with this?
Robin
Spring, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.