Boehm questions

[Doc Jones]

Can any of you Boehm tooters tell what's the best lubricant for the headjoint? I have one that's getting a bit sticky.

Also, while we're on the subject, is it possible to buy a nice Boehm flute without the head? I'm getting a nice wooden head.

Doc

[Aerowhip]

This sounds weird, but -->Nose Grease! No kidding - my (first) teacher swore by it, and it's done me well these 35 or so years. Make sure the joint is all clean - no scratchies or dust. Rub the side of your nose with your finger, and apply to flute. If nobody's looking, you can even rub the headjoint right on the side of your nose. It worked best when I was a teenager, but even now there's enough lubrication to be found.

I've hardly ever given this much thought - does anyone else do it??

L.

[Doc Jones]

This sounds weird, but -->Nose Grease! No kidding - my (first) teacher swore by it, and it's done me well these 35 or so years. Make sure the joint is all clean - no scratchies or dust. Rub the side of your nose with your finger, and apply to flute. If nobody's looking, you can even rub the headjoint right on the side of your nose. It worked best when I was a teenager, but even now there's enough lubrication to be found.

I've hardly ever given this much thought - does anyone else do it??

L.

Hey great idea but do I have to use my own nose?

"Hey kid come here...here rub this on the side of your nose. Wait..no I said the side of your nose! Great now it's really sticky. Guess I should have tried one of the older kids."

Doc

[Bart Wijnen]

Can any of you Boehm tooters tell what's the best lubricant for the headjoint? I have one that's getting a bit sticky.

Non what so-ever. Take a cleaning cloth (preverably with silverpolish within it) and clean both the outside end of the headjoint and the innerside of the main tube. Grease (or any oil/lubricant) attracts dirt to a metal flute.

You may wish to polish the entire instrument as well.

Also, while we're on the subject, is it possible to buy a nice Boehm flute without the head? I'm getting a nice wooden head.
Doc

A nice wooden head is swell, especially the day after the night before.

But, seriously, I've never seen a flute being sold without a head, if the new head you're expecting is a good one, spend some money to buy a decent flute (maybe second-hand). Be sure it's in tune and well tapered, just remember that it's the head that makes the sound most.

At least with my wife it is.........

I'm a little bit jealous, I've got a wooden Boehm flute with a silverplated head (Uebel), would love to have a wooden one for it.

[Doc Jones]

Non what so-ever. Take a cleaning cloth (preverably with silverpolish within it) and clean both the outside end of the headjoint and the innerside of the main tube. Grease (or any oil/lubricant) attracts dirt to a metal flute.

Hmmm, that's what I had thought but there seems to be something on it. Maybe I'll just clean it all off and try it bare. Thanks.

Doc

[kkrell]

Non what so-ever. Take a cleaning cloth (preverably with silverpolish within it) and clean both the outside end of the headjoint and the innerside of the main tube. Grease (or any oil/lubricant) attracts dirt to a metal flute.

Hmmm, that's what I had thought but there seems to be something on it. Maybe I'll just clean it all off and try it bare. Thanks.

Doc

Do that Doc. The joint should be completely clean, with no lube. If it doesn't fit together to satisfaction, then it needs to be serviced.

Kevin Krell

[flutey1]

should work with no lubricant. cleaning it will probably help...

nose grease is for your right hand pinky finger if it has a lot of work to do and the keys down there aren't slidey enough

cheers,
Sara

[Bart Wijnen]

Non what so-ever. Take a cleaning cloth (preverably with silverpolish within it) and clean both the outside end of the headjoint and the innerside of the main tube. Grease (or any oil/lubricant) attracts dirt to a metal flute.

Hmmm, that's what I had thought but there seems to be something on it. Maybe I'll just clean it all off and try it bare. Thanks.

Doc

Yes, well Doc, I can't look right from the Frisian swamps into Idaho, but I'd bet a glass of beer the 'something on it' are tiny black spots or something like that, the result of dirt mixed with grease.

What I do with my student flutes when they have the same problem:

-Remove the cork from the headjoint, make sure to mark it's place before you do (normally, the cleaning rod coming with the flute has a marker). Put it in a bucket - the head - with warm water (not too hot) and a little detergent. Leave it for a night.

Don't do this with the rest of the flute because of, you know, the keys.
But with a wet cloth you'd be able to remove the dirt from inside the bodies top.

[Bart Wijnen]

I type too slowly.

[Doc Jones]

Ahhhh....lovely now. I wonder what the other stuff was.

Doc

[Bart Wijnen]

should work with no lubricant. cleaning it will probably help...

nose grease is for your right hand pinky finger if it has a lot of work to do and the keys down there aren't slidey enough

cheers,
Sara

So true, that worked for me when I was 19 years old, now I am 50, I have to grease my nose so I'd better put it directly on the flute.

[candis bowen]

wait wait wait! I've never used lubricant on my silver flute head joint but I rarely take it apart & now think I should have used something? Seems to work fine without it so far. What to do?
Candi

[kkrell]

wait wait wait! I've never used lubricant on my silver flute head joint but I rarely take it apart & now think I should have used something? Seems to work fine without it so far. What to do?
Candi

You normally would not need to disassemble the headjoint itself. Good idea to remove it from the remaining sections of the flute, though, just so you can swab thoroughly, and keep excess moisture from the pads (and from breeding stuff inside the tube).

Kevin Krell

[asopp83]

Take a small cotton swab with some rubbing alchohol on it (not soaking or dripping wet, though), and lightly swipe the inside of the barrel and the end of the headjoint - that should get rid of the grime and do the trick...

I work part-time for a flute dealer, and VERY occassionally a "headless flute" comes up for sale - but its very rare. I can keep my eyes peeled if you like!

Also, the whistles are GREAT! Thank you!

[Doug_Tipple]

wait wait wait! I've never used lubricant on my silver flute head joint but I rarely take it apart & now think I should have used something? Seems to work fine without it so far. What to do?
Candi

You normally would not need to disassemble the headjoint itself. Good idea to remove it from the remaining sections of the flute, though, just so you can swab thoroughly, and keep excess moisture from the pads (and from breeding stuff inside the tube).

Kevin Krell

If you carry the flute then, of course, you need to remove the headjoint so that the pieces with fit in the case. However, I do not disassemble my silver flutes after I play them in my house. I have made a long wooden/ cotton swab that will reach all the way down to the stopper. After playing the flute I swab it out and leave it fully assembled. Leaving the flute out of the case will give the pads a chance to dry out and not get moldy. I lay my flute horizontally because I do not have a flute stand to hold it vertically. Since the tenons on a flute are silver, a soft metal, I think that it is a good idea to avoid disassembling the headjoint from the flute body any more than necessary. It is so easy to get a small speck of dust or dirt on the tenons, which will cause a scratch on the surface of the silver tenon when you assemble it unless both surfaces are very clean.

With regard to cleaning a silver flute, the professional advice that I have read suggests not using silver polish any more than necessary, if at all. Especially, do not get any silver polish on the pads. It is better to allow a little tarnish on the spots that are difficult to reach. A thorough cleaning can be done by the professional technician when he has the flute fully disassembled to install new pads.