Roughing up Nickel

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:18 am

I'm mostly a fan of brass whistles, (love my Black Diamonds!) But I've accumulated a few nickle-plated ones as well, specifically an Oak and a couple of Gens. They play great, but I don't really like the feel of the nickel plating. It's slippery, and slides around, almost like it were greased. I have trouble playing as accurately because of this, and tend to play them less for this reason.

Anyway, I'm thinking of lightly rubbing a couple of spots on the back where my thumbs are placed. I plan to use very fine steel wool, just enough to rough it up a bit for better grip. Just wondering if anyone has another creative solution for this problem.

Thomas-Hastay · Post by **Thomas-Hastay** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:16 am

I suggest using "SEX WAX", or more to the point. Carnauba wax from the Taqua nut palm. It is also used by Bowlers and Clerks for "friction grip". you can find it in most office supply stores and surf shops!

Hang ten DUDE!

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:25 am

Steel wool will most likly not rough it but make it smooth. Emery paper about 400 grit should work. 220 might be to course.

falkbeer · Post by **falkbeer** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:08 pm

crookedtune wrote:I'm mostly a fan of brass whistles, (love my Black Diamonds!) But I've accumulated a few nickle-plated ones as well, specifically an Oak and a couple of Gens. They play great, but I don't really like the feel of the nickel plating. It's slippery, and slides around, almost like it were greased. I have trouble playing as accurately because of this, and tend to play them less for this reason.

My suggestion is that you paint them with a couple of coats of clear poly-urethane varnish. This varnish will become very hard and is pleasent to touch.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:35 pm

Another option is to put small pieces of tape where your thumbs
go, also a pinky rest if you wish.

Scotch or packing tape
might do--likely rougher than the whistle. I've used small
bits of white bandage tape when after real roughness.
The former sorts of tape are virtually invisible and
all have the virtue of coming off if ever you
wish; therefore they are adjustable.

I've found small pieces of the white stuff helpful
in training my hands for flute--especially
thumb placement. Let's me know where my
thumbs should be.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:48 pm

jim stone wrote:Another option is to put small pieces of tape where your thumbs
go, also a pinky rest if you wish.

Tape. Doh!!

Now there's a solution even I can't mess up! Oughta do the trick, too. Thanks!!

King Friday · Post by **King Friday** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:43 pm

I can't stand how nickel shows all your fingerprints and all that. Brass is much better.

C age ing · Post by **C age ing** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:12 am

King Friday wrote:I can't stand how nickel shows all your fingerprints and all that. Brass is much better.

Why? Have the police got them?
Bill.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:06 am

falkbeer wrote: My suggestion is that you paint them with a couple of coats of clear poly-urethane varnish. This varnish will become very hard and is pleasent to touch.

Wasn't someone recently talking about trying Tool-Dip?

Loren

markbell · Post by **markbell** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:55 pm

Tape is probably a good solution. The nickel is a really hard coating. I have a nickel Generation Eb, which I needed to slim down ever so slightly to get a Hoover Whitecap onto it. Although I succeeded, and the outcome was definitely worth the task, the job was a chore.

Mark

Oreo · Post by **Oreo** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:36 pm

I like tape also. But when I want a tactile sensation and the assurance that my thumb won't slip, I glue on the hook side of velcro.

I have also been know to use a file to make horizontal lines on the back of my instruments.

Oreo

falkbeer · Post by **falkbeer** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:58 pm

Loren wrote:
falkbeer wrote: My suggestion is that you paint them with a couple of coats of clear poly-urethane varnish. This varnish will become very hard and is pleasent to touch.
Wasn't someone recently talking about trying Tool-Dip?

Loren

Sorry, I´m not familiar with that product. Please explain!

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:34 pm

falkbeer wrote:
Loren wrote:
falkbeer wrote: My suggestion is that you paint them with a couple of coats of clear poly-urethane varnish. This varnish will become very hard and is pleasent to touch.
Wasn't someone recently talking about trying Tool-Dip?

Loren
Sorry, I´m not familiar with that product. Please explain!

http://www.makezine.com/pub/tool/Plasti_Dip

Loren

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:28 pm

I sanded the shine off with steel wool on one of mine. It's smooth, like sand blasted, but not as slick. Looks fairly cool too.

NoMattch · Post by **NoMattch** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:20 am

If you want to get some traction on your whistle and tape seems too perminant, there are replacement clips that you can buy for pool cue racks that contour nicely. Make sure you order the right sized diameter though. Susato actually includes "thumb rests" on the whistles that they sell which is basically the same idea.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Roughing up Nickel

Roughing up Nickel

Re: Roughing up Nickel

Re: Roughing up Nickel

Re: Roughing up Nickel

Re: Roughing up Nickel