Oils used in Wooden whistlemaking

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:14 pm

I have a new wooden D whistle - couple of months old - which I'm getting along with quite fine apart from one thing....it had been pickled at birth in linseed oil which, in spite of the fact I have kept it open to the air at all times, still leaves the most dreadful aftertaste (I have just followed it up with an hour on an Abell and can STILL taste it.

Are there oils as good but more user-friendly for proofing whistles and what can (seriously!!) be done to get rid of the taste?

Trisha

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:21 pm

i don't know if it's more user friendly, but neetsfoot oil is suppose to be good but not very tasty. but it's best to contact the maker about this.

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:24 pm

first - Conbtact the maker and ask him/her.

second - you may try Almond oil as it seems to be commonly suggested and generally doesn't leave an aftertaste (that I've found).

B~

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:35 pm

lixnaw wrote:i don't know if it's more user friendly, but neetsfoot oil is suppose to be good but not very tasty. but it's best to contact the maker about this.

Plenty on hand...I use it for shining up the horns on my sheep for agricultural shows

. But I'd imagine there are additives...

Trisha

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:37 pm

Brian, I use Almond on my "taste-free" wooden whistles and it is indeed good, but this whistle is still exuding linseed ad nauseum. Like the whistle, hate the taste :roll:

Trisha

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:54 pm

Hi, Trisha.

Linseed oil and almond oil are very different things.

Linseed polymerizes to a permanent or semiperminent, hard film. Almond is a non-hardening oil.

Did the maker provide instructions for oiling the whistle? Unless the maker has given specific instructions to do so, generally, one would need to be very cautious about applying or reapplying linseed oil to a whistle, because the hardened film can build up inside the bore and toneholes and change how the whistle plays.

If you've been instructed to reapply linseed oil and are looking for an alternative, tung oil would be the logical substitute. It is considered superior to linseed by some instrument makers, being more impervious to moisture and harder. Of course, check with the maker on substitions, but tung oil should work at least as well as linseed and probably better.

On the other hand, if you're just looking for ways to reduce or eliminate the linseed smell, time and airing out will do that. You might look for a way to store it so it stays exposed to circulating air, which will help the process along.

Best wishes,
Jerry

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 5:22 am

Hi Jerry - haven't applied anything as it still seems oily. I keep it in a loose tube totally open to the air but out of direct light. How long before the linseed "hardens" I wonder? Tung oil seems better behaved - I have it on Native American flutes with no problems at all.

Must be a clever way of ensuring I don't overplay a new wooden whistle

Thanks,

Trisha

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 6:53 am

Linseed oil tastes like paint. Very yucky. (It is paint, actually.)

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 7:02 am

Are you getting the taste from the part of the mouthpiece that touches your lips, or sort of as a vapor from the whole whistle?
Depending on the design of the whistle, you might be able to clean out the Linseed with acetone, which is the main ingredient in nail polish remover. It is a terrific solvent and evaporates completely. BUT-- definitely check with the maker first. Acetone will dissolve a shellac or lacquer finish also.
How long have you had the whistle? It may just be a matter of time. Also, UV light polymerizes these hardening oils, so keeping it in the dark may actually slow the drying process.
At the recommendation of Glenn Schultz, I usually use a 5:1 mix of LIGHT olive oil and almond oil with a couple of drops of Vitamin E on my whistles. One recent exception is a salvage timber Birdseye Maple whistle on which I used Tung oil for it's hardening properties. Maple is relatively soft and porous compared to the exotic tropical woods and I wanted the extra protection.

mat · Post by **mat** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 7:15 am

I have switched from linseed (raw) to almond because I tended to get a bit of an adverse skin reaction from linseed and didnt like the taste.

Oh and a rag with almond oil on won't spontaineously combust like those with linseed....which is nice.

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 7:23 am

Thanks Paul...I'll give it some light as well as air. It's a couple of months old now. The taste is definately in the whole mouthpiece.

Mat, I had lip numbness the first time I played this whistle, and I know someone else commented on this in another post with the same whistle.

Trisha

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:22 am

I wouldn't use neatsfoot on wood. It's derived from animal oils and fats (lanolin) and best suited for conditioning leather products. Besides, it has a strong unpleasant smell.
http://www.josephlyddy.com.au/neatsfoot_oil.htm

Jerry and Paul are on the right track. Check with the maker first. Tung and raw linseed are sealing types and almond or olive are penetrating oils that don't have a harsh odor. I've cleaned a few antique wooden recorders with mineral oil that worked well.

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 11:51 am

I would NOT recommend TUNG oil anywhere your mouth will be as it is POISONOUS. Virgin extract almond oil is an excellent wood oil.

God Bless,
David

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 12:05 pm

I believe we've been through this tung oil debate before. It's my recollection that pure tung oil isn't toxic, but some tung oil preparations contain toxic additives. I could be mistaken, but I think we went through this in a previous thread. If anyone can clear this up, I would appreciate not having to redo the research.

Best wishes,
Jerry

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 12:12 pm

Pure tung oil, meaning 100% tung oil, is nontoxic, but most tung preparations have some kind of drying agent in them. So, you have to find pure tung if you want to use tung.

Look at www.realmilkpaint.com and you'll see n entry on real tung.

Stuart

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Oils used in Wooden whistlemaking

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