The "Tuneable Tweak"

[mcurtiss]

When making a whistle tunable, what do people use to lubricate the fipple? (homina homina)

My first tweak was with a teflon based wax stick that is sold at the local hardware store to stop squeaking. That worked ok, but it was a little sticky.

I then found some beeswax. but again, a little sticky.

Now I've seen some recommendations to use either woodwind cork grease or vaseline. I'm kind of thinking that would make it too slippery.

I've made it a poll, just to see what people use.

[TheSpoonMan]

saliva, or nothing

I've considered vaseline tho

[bill]

I use burts bees lip balm, the kind that comes in the little round tin. It's somewhat greasy and smells good.

[straycat82]

I got a chapstick-sized tube of joint grease from Susato when I bought a non-tunable whistle (why? your guess is as good as mine) from them five years ago or so. That thing will probably last me a lifetime. It smells minty and has a waxy consistency. Sounds like our man above has the right idea with his Burt's Bees

[West]

I use nothing. The fipples of the few whistles I've tweaked can be adjusted quite easily anyway so I've never had a need for lubricant. I don't tune them often, I might add. Only before recording sessions.

[mcurtiss]

I use burts bees lip balm, the kind that comes in the little round tin. It's somewhat greasy and smells good.

that's actually a really good idea. i may try that instead of straight beeswax

[MagicSailor]

I use TefGel.

Owen

[mcurtiss]

i used to play the trombone and i would think that slide grease would work well. some sites say to use this exclusively as vaseline will corrode the metal

[MTGuru]

When making a whistle tunable, what do people use to lubricate the fipple? (homina homina)

Yes, you mean the mouthpiece or head, not the fipple.

I love the smell of Susato-type mint cork grease. One whiff and I'm back in 4th grade band class. Works fine, too.

[Whiddler]

At the moment my mouthpiece is running on the stickiness that came off scotch tape, which is working pretty well (by accident). I had wrapped tape around the top of the tube to make it wider so that the mouthpiece, which had gotten too loose from being slid up and down so many times, would fit tighter (just an experiment). Then it got wet and the tape came out, but the stickiness stayed.

[tomk]

when I am certain I am finished tweeking my wistle , that is to say it is sill playable , but close to the edge of non playability , I use ,,,,,,,,, zog wax .

[BrianWhitters]

excuse my ignorance, but how do I tune my brand spanking new chieftain low d

[straycat82]

excuse my ignorance, but how do I tune my brand spanking new chieftain low d

It can only be tuned if it has a tuning slide.

[Key_of_D]

Hair-gell...

For my Burke C, I use Susato's tuning joint grease. Comes in a chap-stick like application. Works like a charm. (hope that's not a problem Mike)

For my Generations and Feadog's, they're friction fit, (well after you remove the glue [or some of it whatever your case may call for] from the Gen's anyway) so that's that.

[mcurtiss]

I use burts bees lip balm, the kind that comes in the little round tin. It's somewhat greasy and smells good.

that's actually a really good idea. i may try that instead of straight beeswax

i used this last night and it might be too slippery. The mouthpiece didn't fit quite as snug using this as opposed to the pure beeswax.