Tell us something.: United Methodist pastor in Northern Michigan. In my copious spare time I work out my chops in a home studio on flutes (incl. Irish, Native American style, recorders, and whistles), bass, guitar, sax, and hand drums. I write and arrange as well.
I'm sure someone else has thought of this, but I'll share it anyway.
It's the extremely inexpensive, DIY, minimal tools needed, reasonably effective Wet Windway Wicker!
I had been using cannibalized business cards to wick the windways of my endblown flutes (whistles, Native American style, quenas, recorders) and discovered that wrapping the cardstock with a layer of cheap kid's construction paper was much more effective as the construction paper is more absorbent. Here's what I came up with ...
1. Slice (but don't dice) a business card (or other thin card stock) lengthwise. Do the same with a piece of construction paper making it twice as long. Cut the width of both so that it fits into the windway.
2. Wrap the construction paper over the cardstock
3. Staple the assembly together. I used a stapleless stapler.
4. Wet Windway Wicker in use...
...For what it's worth
As a wiser man than I once said, "When you get to the fork in the road, take it."
Tell us something.: I am a flute, guitar, keyboard + whistle player learning about quality whistles, musical possibilities and playing techniques. I've recorded a CD of my own music and am creating music for kids.
Sounds effective. I may try that, but using some thin material from some extra blue-material COVID face masks lying around I don't use, since I have a group of them I use, and some more I don't.
Ages ago, such a task in North America might go automatically to the "pipe cleaner" task list, but since all the pipe smokers have died, quit or won't start, nobody
knows what a pipe cleaner is anymore and wouldn't know where to find one or why. Pipe cleaners were as commonly used as wheels and refrigerators at one time.
progress
There's a tool-less approach, but not all may find it satisfactory: I either forcefully suck the moisture out, or cover the window with a finger and forcefully blow. Their primary virtue is that they're quick and can be done on the fly, and if you're gigging, that's important. The sucking method's the faster of the two because it's less fiddly. In the blowing method, the reason for covering the window shouldn't even need explanation, but here's a true story anyway: An older couple, both whistlers, regularly attended a local session. Hubby was the dabbler of the two, and had the habit of clearing his windway by blowing it out, but without covering the window - and of course this would make an ear-splitting SCREECH, rewarded by winces from us and a murderous look from his better half. Yer man was somewhat inward and absent-minded, and never seemed to notice the noise, nor our collective shudder, nor his wife's glare. Rather remarkable, I thought - and I'm confident I wasn't alone in my perplexity. This would happen around twice on average or so in a session, and had been going on for some months (we take our time in Minnesota). Well, for me the day finally came when this had gone on long enough, and I whispered to the poor woman about the merits of covering the window when blowing out the windway. She was very grateful for the advice, and I expected to see a reformed miscreant next session. But nope. Still the same thing. Why this should be is beside the point, which is: Don't be that person. Please.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician
