A few weeks ago I thought of using direct heat to soften the plastic instead and managed to seal the windway of one head completely shut in a millisecond by putting it too near the stove element! So this Sunday I decided a little more controlled temperature might work.
Out with the trusty Black & Decker toaster oven and in with a couple of new Generation D heads! At around 300-350F the plastic soon gets very malleable and a gentle squeeze with the pliers narrows the mouthpiece very easily.
Advantages:
- * a slight reduction in volume and increase in "sweetness";
* a distinct and very satisfying increase in backpressure;
* and an airier, chiffier sound.
Disadvantages:
- * it seems that the collar of the Generation head is under expansion stress in the normal state and tends to relax with the heat treatment, narrowing the opening and making it difficult to get back on the body. (A tendency I've noticed even with repeated hot-water treatments.) To prevent this I stuck my heads in the oven (if you see what I mean) on the barrel and now they are seemingly permanently heat-shrunk onto the barrel. Luckily they are in tune, though.
* if you make the plastic too soft you can easily distort the entire head with careless handling. I tried to loosen one of my welded heads, the only result being that it now has a very wonky-looking window (but it still sounds fine).
* small amounts of noxious fumes. Allow the whistle too cool well before you try to play it, keep the room ventilated and clean the oven thoroughly afterwards.