 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: hans
Date: 2023-11-12 05:22
The recent discussions about swabbing made me wonder - as I watched the Remembrance Day ceremonies today - how bagpipes are kept clean inside.... if they are. Those bags must fill up with "condensation" (spit) and must be a great place for fungus to grow.
Hans
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-11-12 06:23
That IS condensation.
I can't speak for current times, but my aunt used to play bagpipes back in the 50's. Regular cleaning was mandatory for the bag (leather lined) and it was then coated with honey, a good anti bacterial.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2023-11-12 15:16
Maybe all that condensation and fungus is what makes bagpipes sound the way they do?
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2023-11-13 13:07
I played the pipes back in the 50's and 60's. We used to remove the drones, blowpipe and chanter and flush out the bag using a mix of cold water, dishwashing liquid and dettol. Block the chanter and drone holes with wine corks, pour in about a pint and then massage the bag thoroughly for about half an hour, then flush out with cold water until it runs clear, Remove the corks, hang the bag up and air-dry for 2-3 days. When dry, season it with a mix of honey, glycerine and dettol. Rub this well in and massage the bag until it is soft and flexible. Reassemble the pipes. We used to do this every 3 months or so.
Tony F.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2023-11-13 16:24
I'm a little disappointed Toni, I was imagining whiskey would be the key cleaning agent.....Sigh!....I like the honey bit though .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: hans
Date: 2023-11-14 23:12
Tony,
Thank you for your cleaning description. It certainly makes swabbing a clarinet seem trivial by comparison :-)
Regards,
Hans
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