01/07/2023
Podcast about oiling recorders
Episode 22 of the Blockfloetenpodcast.eu is about oiling recorders.
Basic topics such as "Why oil", "Oil with what" and "How often to oil" are discussed. This episode is the foundation for understanding this important recorder maintenance topic. It is built upon in Episode 23, "How to Oil a Recorder."
Short version: Instruments made of wood must be oiled regularly to protect them from the moisture that occurs during playing. This will preserve the full beauty of the sound and response. Otherwise, the wood will leach out, the surfaces in the area of the inner bore will become rough, and dimensional changes of the body and even cracks could occur during swelling and drying.
The frequency of oiling depends on the type of wood and the use of your instrument, because the impregnation made by the manufacturer wears off in the area of the wood surfaces due to the moisture condensing in the instrument. As a rule, you should oil two or three times a year. Observe your instrument: if the wood starts to become dull and gray in the inner bore, it needs oil. If, on the other hand, it shines slightly oily, then it is still well cared for.
Linseed oil is the traditional woodwind oil. It hardens to a smooth, fine film that protects your flute particularly well against the effects of moisture, and does not wash out as quickly as, for example, the thinner almond oil.
Important note: Cloths soaked in linseed oil can self-ignite! Therefore, let cloths that you have used for oiling dry spread out in the air, or store them in a closed jar. Only when the oil has hardened can you put the cloths in the household waste.
Caution: The block and windway must not come into contact with oil!
The purpose of the oil is to protect the instrument from drying out. However, if the oil gets into the windway or the block, it can lead to sound changes and hoarseness, and thus to an impairment of the response.