> Behind the scenes they are continually rubbing the tubes of their instruments
> against the side of their noses to get the best sheen and natural, spiritual
> sound.
While face oil is free, it tends to be fairly acidic. Should you have any
doubt, put some in your eye.
> When asked about oiling my shak, my teacher replied that eventually the
> oil will oxidize and who want's to play a rancid flute!
Nut oils are often the worst culprits for rancid smell. To bypass any
possibility of this switch to mineral oil. It doesn't oxidize and is
virtually inert. Paraffin/Vaseline/mineral oil are essentially the same
substance, just taken at different points in the cracking process. Jojoba
oil is another good choice as it's a little different than most vegetable
oils in that it contains a high percentage of waxes.
Wood/bamboo cracks because the water molecules evaporate, thus the cell
structure shrinks. To stop cracking the spaces the water occupied must be
filled and that's usually done with with an oil or wax. Because the woody
part of bamboo isn't very dense penetration isn't usually a problem.
Think of it this way: At the beginning of your favorite shak concert all the
seats are filled, but slowly people start leaving. The Water People. So to
keep the concert going we want to fill those seats with Oil/Wax People.
They won't evaporate. What we're after is all the seats being filled, a full
house--then the music goes on. Once all the Water People have been replaced
with Oil/Wax People the hall will stabilize and our job is done.
Nelson
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