This was brought up in another thread. I noticed the warmup when I played whistle but I just thought I was insane.
How do you warm up a metal whistle?
Do you just play it until it sound right?
Are there any metals that are superior to others?
Does warming up apply to whistles made with other materials?
Suckah’s got to know
Metal whistles warm up as play them, or you can hold them close to your body long enough and they’ll get warm. Or put them in a sunny windowsill…it’s easiest to just play them, IMO.
You don’t have to warm up plastic, etc…
I never warm up a plastic whistle, but always warm up my brass.
I do this by covering the exit on the fipple and blow out letting the warm air from my lungs heat it up, usually three or four breathes. When it’s warm to the touch, give a quick, sharp breath to clear out any condensation.
Works well on my Sindt, an absolute necessity with my inexpensive whistles.
Mike
An Overton-style whistle, all-aluminum mouthpiece, narrow windway, really begs to be warmed up. Condensation builds up so fast in the cold whistle that you’ll spend all your time unclogging it rather than playing it, and it’ll have a tough time warming up. Whistles with metal rings, like Thin Weasels and Busmans, definitely benefit from warming up. It certainly doesn’t hurt all-wood or plastic mouthpiece whistles, either.
I warm whistles up by keeping them under my arm for a few minutes. If I’m planning on playing more than one, I’ll keep the second in my pocket while I’m playing the first.
The gist so far is that a metal whistle needs to be exposed to body temp (via breathing or keeping it close to your body. I once kept a low D down my pants leg to keep it warm but that is another story) and not just ambient temp?
I want to say something. But. I. Just. Don’t know what. Congratulations?
lol
The easiest way to warm up a metal whistle is to leave it lying in the sun (ouch!).
Seriously, though, thick metal whistles like Overtons and Chieftains do take longer to warm up and IMHO aren’t satisfactorily warmed by just playing them. To warm one quickly, I usually reverse it and blow into the bell end while covering all six finger holes.
Yeah, what he said… It really does make a difference. Less clogging, and better sound.
So one needs to just warm the fipple end (mouthpiece)? Or the entire whistle? Or either, depending on whistle?
Thanks to all responding
Stewey
I haven’t been around much…too busy fiddling but had to respond to Stewysmoots…haven’t seen you in a long time. Did you ever get anywhere with those Ancient Secrets I sent?/? And I do think you need to warm up the entire whistle. I cover the finger holes and windway and blow gently into the headjoint…expecially the Sindt on Sunday mornings at church. GM
I haven’t been around much…too busy fiddling but had to respond to Stewysmoots…haven’t seen you in a long time. Did you ever get anywhere with those Ancient Secrets I sent?/? And I do think you need to warm up the entire whistle. I cover the finger holes and windway and blow gently into the headjoint…expecially the Sindt on Sunday mornings at church. GM
With my Elfsong, I cover the window and blow gently into it until the body feels distinctly warmer…that seems to work better than just getting the head joint warm. The metal (copper) seems to warm up faster and more thoroughly with the blowing method than the body heat method. If you try to warm it up just by playing, you can, but it will clog to a fare-thee-well until it’s warm, so it’s less frustrating to just get it warmed up first, after which it’s not a bad clogger.
My Busman I warm up simply by cradling the headpiece in my hands for several minutes.
Redwolf
My experience is that all-plastic fipples don’t need warming up to prevent clogging. Everything else does.
It also seems to me that my heavy brass whistles (Chieftain Gold), while they take longer to get properly warmed up, give a lot more warning before clogging to the point of upsetting the note. This gives me time to clear it and keep going if I haven’t warmed up properly. OTOH, my aluminum Chieftain and my Syn, which is aluminum sandwiched in delrin, while quicker to warm up, give little to no warning at all before clogging when they’re not warmed up.
If it had been a Thin weasel you kept down your pants leg-that would have put a whole new twist on that story! 
Then I would have suggested sending down one of Selkie’s ferrets to retrieve it! (Putting Ferrets down trouser legs is a quiant English custom,apparently-it may even be in ‘The Guinness book of records’ for all I know,filed under ‘Feats of endurance’!)
I’m typing rubbish - see what prolonged absence of the board does to me! 
I warm up my aluminium whistles by holding the mouthpiece in my closed hand for a few minutes - usually whilst reading this forum 
You can feel the whistle cooling as you play.
A quick warm up can be achieved by dipping the mouthpiece in yer tea
coffee/ warm drink - but wash it afterwards 
- or a cup of warm water.
How many hands do you have?
Sonja
I warm my metal instruments but rubbing the metal and blowing through the windway with the window covered. I do pretty much the same thing for the wooden ones without the rubbing. During the evening I tuck spare whistles between my leg.
It’s been said that sterling silver retains temperature better than brass. Not having a sterling silver whistle, I can’t say for sure!
My Overton Bb absolutely will not play a recognizable note until it’s warmed up. I also blow into the other end, covering the holes. Then I play it for a little bit and it comes round. It also needs to be unclogged more often at first.
I always wonder, what to sesssion people do when they change whistles? Do they have time to warm them up between songs?
The aluminum Burke has to be warmed up to play in tune without moisture problems. I warm it by blowing with the windway covered and holding the mouthpiece in my hands for a moment. The Dixon pretty much plays on demand, or with minimal warming, but out of habit, if I’m planning to change whistles for different tunes, I either sit on the ones in queue, tuck them between ladylike crossed legs, or put them in my pocket if I’m standing up.
–Nancy
thanks all for the replies. I think I have a much better idear on how to get my whistles up and running.
GM, Yes I did apply some of the techniques and it was very helpful. I am trying to focus my life-style more into that direction, by hook or by crook…
Thanks again.
Yours truly,
Stewy Smoot