How to oil the recorder
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2019
- A wooden instrument needs to be oiled regularly, if it's not varnished or impregnated. If not, the wood can dry out so much that it will tear or crack, and its sound will deteriorate. In this video I show you how to oil a recorder correctly, but it's useful too for other historical wind instruments, such as traverso, baroque oboe or baroque bassoon.
ATTENTION: the instrument must be completely dry before oiling it, because the oil can lock up any remaining humidity within the wood (it forms a layer which is protective - but what can't come in, neither can come out if it's inside the wood)!
How often should we oil it?
Depending on the use, wood and circumstances, that might be every two months (intensive use) or up to once a year (very good circumstances and little use).
You can check if the wood needs oil by touching it. It's like bodycream for human skin: it should look and feel healthy and "fed", but it shouldn't be too shiny, because then there is still oil that wasn't absorbed.
( 🇪🇸Vídeo en español: • Cómo aceitar la flauta... )
Here are the links to the other videos!
How to clean the block of the recorder: • How to clean the block...
How to maintain recorder tabs (cork / thread): • How to maintain record...
How to place new thread on the tab of a recorder: • How to place new threa...
What to do when a recorder block doesn't fit: • What to do when a reco...
How to solve a regularly clogged recorder: • How to solve a regular...
How to treat mould in a recorder: • How to treat (and prev...
How to clean extra small recorders: • How to clean extra sma...
How to prevent the recorder thumb hole from wearing out: • How to prevent the rec...
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( 🇪🇸Vídeo en español: czcams.com/video/dMIAnx2wq2s/video.html )
Here are the links to the other videos!
How to clean the block of the recorder: czcams.com/video/LBryuSxvbK0/video.html
How to maintain recorder tabs (cork / thread): czcams.com/video/4A0cA5L_vsE/video.html
How to place new thread on the tab of a recorder: czcams.com/video/r32Pt-jutrY/video.html
What to do when a recorder block doesn't fit: czcams.com/video/pHTGs4b_ph0/video.html
How to solve a regularly clogged recorder: czcams.com/video/JmL6KXOQQGA/video.html
How to treat mould in a recorder: czcams.com/video/k0nfahcg09o/video.html
How to clean extra small recorders: czcams.com/video/rKsDr4ywYlc/video.html
How to prevent the recorder thumb hole from wearing out: czcams.com/video/46LxHeFZWnI/video.html
Thanks for the video, Lobke. It is quite exhaustive and thus interesting. :-)
Hi Sergio, thanks a lot!!! All my maintenance videos are also in Spanish if you prefer, for example here is the Spanish version of this video:
czcams.com/video/dMIAnx2wq2s/video.html
I bought a second-hand rottenburg, in european boxwood, not long ago. It kept clogging in no time so I showed it to my recorder teacher who shone a light up the head-joint and told me that the person who sold it to me had got oil on the block, meaning that it would always clog fast. Luckilly I was within my time to return it, but I was so sad to have lost my chance to own such a recorder. So no oil on the block, folks, that's what can happen.
JULIAN SANDERS Indeed!!!
Hello, thank you for the video. So I noticed with a little self-taught experience. 1) When the octave hole is used, it is better to play with a fingernail that is not too short so that the highs come out better! 2) there is a method on youtube (title best way to oil recorder) where the flute is in a bath of olive oil and it works very well! thank you
Hello, Thank you for your comment! 1) I agree BUT you will undo the finger hole even more. Solution: send or bring it to a recorder maker or to the factory where it was made (they tend to have a workshop) and let them make a ring for it. Those rings are made of hard material.
2) Sure, that is perfectly possible (just leave out the block)!
@@LobkeSprenkeling Thank you Lobke. I prefer to avoid spending extra money at the moment (I have a canta 2206 alto and Mollenhauer will cost me 70 euros with shipping (I'm in France and need to ship to Germany) to replace the thumb ring . For the moment I play with a thumb with a little long nail and it works, I will see later for replacement or maybe a new recorder.
@@grahamgreene1158 Not necessarily, in your case perhaps a local recorder builder can do it for you. Philippe Bolton, Lachier, Bernolin… and there are others, too.
Great video! Would it be necessary to oil a new maple soprano recorder? I'd appreciate your answer. Thanks.
Hi Javier, it depends not so much on the wood but on the fact if the maker/factory has varnished the outside or, something more normalised nowadays, has impregnated the wood both on the outside and on the inside. Most handmade recorders are oiled by the maker before they give them to you.
Varnished recorders are easy to recognise: there is a shiny layer. This would only be on the outside.
Impregnated recorders are not as easily recognisable. Try a little patch with some oil and see if it assimilates any of it.
Anyway, normally a new recorder will have been oiled or impregnated. The wood will look and feel healthy, nourished.
(There is a Spanish version of all of these videos as well, by the way 😊)
What kind of oil could I use besides linseed or sweet almond?
Sorry for my late answer!! It is said that olive oil can be used too, but I don’t have experience with it myself. I have a recorder for which the recorder builder told me to use peanut oil. I did this until I decided to switch to almond oil for all my recorders. Peanut oil is a little bit thicker, so for some recorders it’s going to be more difficult to assimilate it. Ebony, Rosewood, Grenadile, which are harder types of wood, it’s better to use a thinner oil, like almond oil.
Do some people remove the block before oiling?
Russ McLaughlin Yes, have a look at this video: czcams.com/video/LBryuSxvbK0/video.html
How often do you oil the instruments that you play regularly?
Alan Cantor It depends, a really new recorder might need oiling every month or two months (if it’s not impregnated with oil, of course!), later on every 6 months works for my recorders. You have to keep checking on them though, especially if you play a lot on them.
Your prescription sounds about right!
Hello,
I had the bad idea to oil the block after removing it
Is it possible to catch up with this error by applying a particular solution, or time will do the rest?
Thanks for your help
I would say: make a mixture of water and dish soap (I believe it’s one teaspoon of dish soap for a litre of water, but perhaps it’s one teaspoon for half a litre and more so in your case). Use this to wash the surface of your block, with the cotton swabs or if it’s really really oily, you may thinking of bathing the block in the mixture. Clean it with water afterwards. It’s the only thing I can think of that might take away some of the oil. Good luck!
@@LobkeSprenkeling thank you very Lobke. Merry Christmas 🙏
@@grahamgreene1158 Merry Christmas to you!! 🤗
Tried dishwashing liquid mixed water on my new Mollenhauer Denner Tenor which had an oil stain on the block and it WORKED! Thanks a lot!
Hello, I purchased a couple of recorders who haven't been played for a long time. Is it possible the wood has dried extensively and need more oiling? Thank you
Hello! It’s certainly possible, especially if they haven’t been oiled for years. You can see it, and especially feel it, in the wood on the inside of the recorder. Try oiling them, how fast they absorb the oil and how they are after oiling. You may leave them to dry with some time and then see and feel if they’re still dry and need more oil.
@@LobkeSprenkeling Thank you. The head joints needed three oilings and the other joints had enough of two.
WHICH sort of oil??
Cold pressed almond oil, cold pressed linseed oil, these two are the best option. There are other options as well if these aren’t available.
What kind of oil ?
Sweet almond oil is a good first option, if you can find that. It is said that olive oil can be used too, but I don’t have experience with it myself. I have a recorder for which the recorder builder told me to use peanut oil. I did this until I decided to switch to almond oil for all my recorders. Peanut oil is a little bit thicker, so for some recorders it’s going to be more difficult to assimilate it. Ebony, Rosewood, Grenadile, which are harder types of wood, it’s better to use a thinner oil, like almond oil.
Thank you@@LobkeSprenkeling