Service and repair of your flute
My workshop assures you of first-class workmanship in the repair work.
The daily care of the recorder
Before the game: Warm up
The flute, or at least the flute head, should be preheated by carrying it close to the body, e.g. under the arm. In such a pre-warmed instrument, much less condensation accumulates during playing, so that the flute does not become hoarse unnecessarily quickly.
During the game: blow out water
If water has collected in the wind tunnel and the flute sounds clogged, you should blow it out. To do this, remove the headpiece, close the hole by hand, and blow into the labium to return the water through the wind tunnel. During play, it is less complicated to simply suck the water back vigorously. Under no circumstances should you touch the labium with your fingers, as it warps easily, especially when wet. The flute can be damaged in such a way that it becomes unusable and cannot be repaired.
After the game: dry wipe (see photos)
The flute must be well dried out. Soft cotton rags, e.g. from old T-shirts or dish towels, and similar scraps of fabric are suitable for this purpose. It is important that these rags do not lint. Cut a piece of fabric and pull it through the wiper rod (Fig. 1-3). Use this wiper to gently enter the flute bore and wipe it dry (Fig. 4-6). These rags should be changed frequently for hygienic reasons. The sampler included with the flute is also suitable for wiping dry. However, it must first be freed from its finish by washing it briefly in hot water to which a little washing-up liquid or detergent has been added.
By the way, there are also voices that consider the dry wiping of recorders superfluous. This is because the inner bore does not really become dry as a result, because the moisture absorbed by the wood cannot simply be wiped away. If the instrument is stored in an airy place, e.g. on a bookshelf, it will evaporate by itself. At most, the head piece could be wiped out, but the most moisture-prone part, namely the wind tunnel, is not accessible to the wiper at all.
Storage of the flute
The boxes and flute bags are intended only as transport containers, as well as a long-term storage place for the completely dry instrument. The flute prefers to dry in the air, but not in the direct influence of sunlight, heating heat, humidity and cold drafts. If the flute is constantly unable to dry out properly due to incorrect storage, the wood will swell and mold will form. In a protected place, e.g. on a book shelf, stored in an open box or on the flute case, the flute feels dry and comfortable.
The care of the cone cork
In order for the tenon cork to fulfill its function as a “buffer” between two flute parts in the long term, it needs to recover again and again from the pressure that is placed on it. It is therefore necessary to take the flute apart after playing so that the cork can also dry out and get back into shape. Many players believe that they are doing their cork a favor by greasing it regularly. It is not so! The cork itself does not require any care other than that described above. The grease included with the flute is only to make the flute move more smoothly if the tenon joint ever gets too tight. Wood is, after all, a changeable material, and so sometimes slight warping occurs, which is noticeable by the fact that the flute can no longer be put together and taken apart easily enough. In such a case, and only then, you should lightly (!) grease the peg cork so that the connection “slips” again. Greasing too often and too much will cause the adhesive bond between the tenon and the cork to loosen. The cork must then be renewed.
Thread winding is the historical way to make the tenon joint. It is more flexible to handle than cork, because you can unwind if the connection is too tight or rewind if it wobbles, depending on your needs and skills. The reason the less expensive flutes have cork is because the thread winding is more costly to make. However, grease is also used during thread winding to impregnate the thread and prevent it from becoming saturated with water.
With us you can expect a wide range of selected products and solutions at affordable prices. We make sure that only goods of the highest quality leave our house. Of course, we advise you comprehensively, pay attention to your individual wishes and requirements and always find the right solution for you.