Re: [Shaku] The Nature of Cracks

From: Donald Shepherd (donshep@nauticom.net)
Date: Sun Mar 06 2005 - 20:02:43 PST


fleece beast wrote:

> I bound my shakuhachi and it's holding up well. I have some questions
> concerning cracks and oil:
>
> 1. Is the purpose of the bind to keep the opening of the crack from
> getting wider? Is there any thing I can do to fill the crack or to
> ensure that the crack does not continue down or up the flute? Should I
> bind the entire cracked area?
>
> 2. I don't have any walnut oil and my flute is dry. Is there any
> substitute that I can use?
>
>
> Thanks, David
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Here's my $0.02:

The maker of two of my flutes (John Niemi) recommended just using
vegetable oil. I used canola oil and it worked fine.

Another of my flutes cracked. The crack went along the top, through the
four holes. Since it prevented the holes sealing, the flute was
unplayable. I put black vinyl tape over the crack and cut the holes out
with an x-acto knife. The flute now has a dumb black "racing stripe" but
it plays fine. The crack went right under three of the bindings so I
don't think they helped much. The width of the crack depends on
humidity. I can even get it to close if I store the flute dripping wet.
I think filling the crack could cause further damage if the humidity
increases.

The flute that cracked has a plastic bore, and the Niemi flutes have
natural bores. I store all three together. The one with the plastic bore
cracked and the others are fine. I think it's because the unlined flutes
allow the inner and the outer bamboo to reach the same dryness. Humidity
changes then cause the whole flute to shrink or expand evenly. The other
flute's bamboo could not shrink on the inside, so dry conditions forced
the bamboo to crack on the outside so it could shrink.

Don

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