What do folks with Olwell Pratten six-keys use for a case?

[jim stone]

If you have one, grateful for info--what do you use for a case?

I received a suggestion to contact Stephan Morvan about a case for one of these flutes
and I did e mail a few days ago. No response so far.

[Julia Delaney]

Buy this and adapt it to fit the flute-- it will work...
Click to see flute case

[nicklow]

Or what about this one, for a B foot 17 hole flute, should fit, so I've been told.One on order I'll let you know..http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

[jim stone]

thanks to both

[johnkerr]

I carried my Olwell six-key in a Cavallaro roll for years. Then when Patrick was selling some soft leather cases (similar to Cavallaro rolls) some years ago, I bought one of them and started using it. (I don't think he sells these cases any more - he'd gotten a deal on some inexpensive South American leather as I recall, commissioned a bunch of cases to be made out of it, sold them all, and that was it.) Then about five years ago when I bought a keyless C flute from Patrick I needed another case, so I bought a Northwind case from him and started carrying the six-key in that. Now I also have an antique Rudall 8-key that I carry in the leather roll case I bought from Patrick.

I've never had any problem with the soft roll cases for carrying flutes. They're fine for hand carrying when going to a session, and they also fit easily into backpacks, briefcases or other luggage for longer trips.

[jim stone]

My problem with the Cavallaro soft cases for keyed flutes is nervousness that the flute won't
get enough protection (sometimes I'm going long distances, packing lots of stuff in the car, etc.)
and also the keys seem to be
getting stuck on the lining of the channels. I like them very well for unkeyed flutes.

[brotherwind]

I carried my Olwell six-key in a Cavallaro roll for years. Then when Patrick was selling some soft leather cases (similar to Cavallaro rolls) some years ago, I bought one of them and started using it. (I don't think he sells these cases any more - he'd gotten a deal on some inexpensive South American leather as I recall, commissioned a bunch of cases to be made out of it, sold them all, and that was it.) Then about five years ago when I bought a keyless C flute from Patrick I needed another case, so I bought a Northwind case from him and started carrying the six-key in that. Now I also have an antique Rudall 8-key that I carry in the leather roll case I bought from Patrick.

I've never had any problem with the soft roll cases for carrying flutes. They're fine for hand carrying when going to a session, and they also fit easily into backpacks, briefcases or other luggage for longer trips.

Hi John,
could you give us some images of the leather roll case you use to carry your Rudall 8-key?
Thanks in advance, Moritz

[ChrisCracknell]

As in the previous thread about Boehm cases - try to get one designed for a B-foot Boehm case. The extra cm or so is very useful.

[johnkerr]

Hi John,
could you give us some images of the leather roll case you use to carry your Rudall 8-key?

Sorry, I don't know how to do that. But basically it looks just like a Cavallaro roll that was tricked out by Ricardo Montalban. Fine Corinthian leather, in this case black. The inside lining is kind of like sheepskin. Maybe it is, even. Four slots are sewn into the roll. I put the headjoint in one, the middle section in another, the bottom two sections assembled in the third, and in the fourth slot which is sized to hold a whistle I carry my cleaning rod. There's also a pocket on the inside to hold a tube of cork grease. That's pretty much it. Understated, yet elegant in its simplicity.

Rob Greenway actually has one of the coolest of these cases. His has a branding mark in the leather, which some might see as an imperfection but in reality makes it totally unique.

[Cathy Wilde]

I have one of those; it rocks (it's a hefty thing!) though I use it for a keyless flute b/c I worry about keys snagging on sheepskin. I carry my keyed Olwell in a modified quad pistol case that leaves room for tinwhistles and other bits of fun and frolic.

(Off-topic: Have you ever cleaned your leather roll, John? The sheepskin on mine's kind of manky. I've thrown my suede riding chaps into the washer with Murphy's and lanolin or deerskin cleaner -- wonder if that would be OK for this?)

[johnkerr]

Nope, I've never given a thought to cleaning my case, Cathy. I guess I'm just not much on cleanliness when it comes to flutes. My cleaning rag is a formerly white handkerchief that's now the color of a nice French onion soup, and when I picked up the Rudall and Rose flute that Patrick Olwell restored for me, the first thing I noticed was that it looked brand new with bright shiny keys while my then 10 year old keyed Olwell looked more like the 160 year old flute of the two.

Regarding a couple other comments people have made about roll cases: I did once get a key stuck in the inside lining. Well, actually what happened was that the pin got pulled out of the G# key and it came off way down in the slot. I had a devil of a time getting it out. So after that I started sticking that piece in with the key closer to the top of the slot (i.e. I flipped the piece around) and have never had any other problem. And as for rolls being more vulnerable than hard shell cases, I suppose that's so. But when going to the session, it's either in my hand or sitting on the car seat, so there's not much that can happen there. If I drop it, the case is padded pretty well. And for longer trips, it may be in a bag or a backpack, but I would always have that bag separate from any others or at worst on top of the pile. And never ever will my flute go into a checked bag on a plane or train. Always in the carry on, or I don't go.

[crickett]

Cathy Wilde,
Is your Olwell a Pratten? If so, can you tell me what pistol case you use and how you have modified it?
Thanks.

[jim stone]

Am I right that a 'quad' pistol case is one that holds four pistols?

Here's one of these:

http://www.exploreproducts.com/adgsport ... uncase.htm

Looks promising.

[Cathy Wilde]

@ Jim: Yep, that looks pretty close; I have the 4-pistol version of this: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... LL_PRODUCT

It's about the size of a smallish briefcase, though somewhat deeper. I pulled the lining away from the top so I can park my cleaning rod and swab in there. It's kind of awkward compared to the slim cases (I'm thinking about one of those) but I like having the whistles in there too, especially while I'm schlepping a big viola case full of pipes around, too.

@ Crickett: See above. My present Olwell is a Nicholson but prior to that I had a Pratten and carried it in this case. And before I had this case I carried the Pratten in a Doskocil single pistol case.

@ John. Thanks! I'm not a neat freak, honest, but ... this one sort of makes me feel like I'm sleeping on someone else's mattress, , so I may give it a go.

For those with single middle joints, don't forget that diagonal (i.e., corner-to-corner) is an option here.

[Doc Jones]

Why not call Pat?* I believe he sells Northwinds or some such with his keyed flutes.

Doc

*But don't talk to him for too long. I'm only 4 or 5 years away from a six key from him and we don't want to distract him...You know how he is if you get him talking about flutes.