Dear Peter,
On Sun, 15 Mar 1998, Peter Ross wrote:
> Ronnie,
>
> I guess if you keep the flutes "humidified" consistently they will
> be fine.
Exactly...
Also, theories are theories, but nothing works like success.
> By the way, when I mail a flute to Japan that I don't want to buy, and
> don't want to be responsible for if it cracks, I usually include a damp
> sponge or piece of cloth in the plastic bag. So I do use that technique
> at times. I guess the danger, like Monty implied, would be in putting
> the flute in a wet and dry cycle, back and forth, which would cause
> cracking.
Again, right on the mark...
>
> I wondered why you don't oil your flutes. You say you never have for
> many reasons. What are those reasons.
Well, I guess "many" reasons was a bit of an exaggeration..Basically, I
don't like the smell of the oil from walnuts or the residue that it leaves
sometimes, even when thouroughly wiped off..Also, I've never believed that
it helps against cracking, although it does darken the Bamboo quicker..
The water , or humidity, that keeps the Bamboo happy, goes up through its
"Tubers", as Bamboo is a "grass" not a hard-wood..It seems to me that the
oiling process will not accomplish the same end..But as you stated, if it
works, stay with it!!!
Ronnie
Peter...
>
> Ronald Seldin wrote:
>
> > OK, all you guys, I've already answered Monty, and I guess I should
> > explain why I tell all my students to use "Dampits"...
> >
> > Monty's answer makes sense...
> > Monty's answer is logical..
> > Monty has certainly handled enough flutes to know what he is talking
> > about, and is unquestionably, a qualified expert in this area...
> >
> > The thing is, and I can't give as good of a scientific answer, the
> > flutes
> > that my students have that don't use "Dampits" crack often, and those
> > who
> > use Dampits, almost never develop cracks...Now this is true for the
> > flutes
> > from Japan (root-end), or for the wonderful TAIHEI flutes from Monty
> > (which I use exclusively for all beginning students)..although the
> > cracks
> > develop more from the Root-end ones from Japan that don't use
> > Dampits...
> >
> > Personally , I use a custom made, poly-urethene, large case with 4
> > quadrants..There is a large bowl of water in each quadrant...The top
> > has
> > foam-rubber "gasgets"...There is a hygrometer in the case , which I
> > keep
> > over 95 Degress..IN ADDITION, I use Dampits in ALL of my personal
> > flutes,
> > and a lot of the others (there are ususally over 50 root-end flutes,
> > of
> > different lengths, at any given time)...The only time I ever develop
> > cracks on these flutes, are on the ones that Don't have Dampits..
> >
> > Of course, I realize that I am keeping the humidity "unnaturally"
> > high..But, by being very vigilant, and consitant in this way, I NEVER
> > get
> > cracks in my personal Flutes...
> >
> > I never oil my flutes...For many reasons...Never have...
> >
> > So, in closing, again I must say that I can't give a logical argument
> > for
> > Dampits (outside of 25 years of success with them!), and everyone will
> >
> > have to make their own decisions (again Monty's argumnets make sense,
> > and
> > are very well explained)..But I do know one thing:
> >
> > My teacher told me , 24 years ago,"Take wa waremono desu"...Which
> > means,
> > "Bamboo is something that breaks (cracks)"..So, very often , we can be
> >
> > thankful for the time that we have with our flutes UNTIL they crack,
> > not
> > IF they crack...This is the reason that we hardly ever see a
> > Shakuhachi
> > over 100 years old, although we do see many other musical instruments
> > of
> > old age..
> >
> > Fortunately, here in the USA, we have many excellent repair people who
> > can
> > do excellent "inlaid-bindings' repair jobs on Shakuhachi, which in
> > some
> > ways give the Shakuhachi a kind of "soulfulness", when done well..And
> > people like Monty and Peter Ross on the west -coast, as well as David
> > Duncavage, and David Press on the East coast, can all do as good a
> > repair
> > job as top Japanese makers, and neither the sound nor the value of
> > your
> > Shakuhachi will suffer if you need to make use of any of their
> > services
> > (and they are all much less expensive than the repair-people from
> > Japan!!)
> >
> > Sorry for being so long-winded (and repetitve), but for those of you
> > who
> > know me, all know that I tend to be a bit loquatious!!
> >
> > Good Luck to all of you, and may your flutes be strong and true, and
> > never
> > crack!!!
> >
> > Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin
> >
> > On Sat, 14 Mar 1998, Peter Ross wrote:
> >
> > > Hi to everyone,
> > > I agree with what Monty said about putting a cello humidifier
> > inside
> > > a flute. It adds too much moisture. I just wanted to put up for
> > > discussion the subject of oiling shakuhachi.
> > > Everyone I know used to oil there flutes. But lately many have
> > > stopped. When I was in Japan last December several makers said not
> > to
> > > use oil because it makes it harder to repair the flute if it
> > cracks.
> > > Some say it doesn't help prevent cracking at all. One book even
> > says
> > > oiling can ruin the sound of a flute. They suggest keeping it
> > wrapped
> > > in deerskin. I asked Riley Lee and he no longer applies oil. And
> > of
> > > course many religiously oil there flutes.
> > >
> > > I lightly oil my flutes and keep them in plastic bags. I don't'
> > know if
> > > the oil helps, but I guess I just like the way it makes the bamboo
> > > darken, and after so many years it's become a habit. I feel that
> > if
> > > there's a chance it helps, why not do it?
> > >
> > > So, what do you think? Peter...
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
>
>
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