Not Oiling Your Pipes: A Cautionary Tale

My newish (three years old, used) pipes cracked after two months of playing. Someone told me that it was due to inferior wood but as I examined all of the info associated with this topic it became apparent the cracking was due to lack of oiling.

Confession: I didn’t use the oil until playing the pipes hard for about two months, close to an hour a day — they had not been played much before and likely should have been treated as new pipes, broken in properly, and stored in a humidified case.

I understand that the Bore Doctor oil is highly rated. I haven’t yet tried it but I have used Rob Kinnaird’s non-mineral bore oil. A mostly full bottle came with my used McCallum pipes. I don’t think these three-year pipes were ever oiled. I’ve oiled my pipes multiple times over the last few months, inside and out, and have been amazed how 1) it absorbed into wood, 2) how it dried to a nice smooth semi-matte finish that I could buff and/or wax over top, and 3) how it closed up two cracks that were likely the fault of me.

While my pipes were meticulously swabbed and dried after every time I played, they needed oil. A lower tenor joint developed one external crack and the blowpipe stock developed two simultaneously overnight. While I was waiting for the replacement parts, graciously provided under warranty by McCallum, I oiled the pipes, including the cracked parts. To my utter surprise, the blowpipe stock cracks completely disappeared and the tenor joint crack diminished significantly. I’ve been playing the pipes without problem ever since. Oiling works. At least for me. 

Here's what happens when you don't oil your pipes.

Here’s what happens when you don’t oil your pipes. My middle tenor lower joint. I have since oiled this piece and the crack has shrunk and not given me any problems in these daily use pipes.

One of two horizontally opposed cracks on my blowpipe stock. Both cracks completely disappeared after oiling the bore and the outside.

One of two horizontally opposed cracks on my blowpipe stock. Both cracks completely disappeared after oiling the bore and the outside.

Note, that the alternate view of never-oiling your bagpipes is held by some people who have never had a problem with cracked pipes despite playing the same set for decades. However, whichever the viewpoint you hold, the consensus from others in the know, including Jim McGillivray, is that oiling cannot hurt your pipes. In my opinion, why take the chance and not oil?

If you’re not convinced that you should oil your pipes, perhaps Dave Atherton’s cogent article on Wood Education will. I will point out that the article is focussed on oiling new pipes without an impermeable finish. I suspect that oiling the inside and outside of your pipes may only be really effective if the outside will accept the oil. Pipes with contemporary hard lacquer finishes probably can’t absorb any of the oil. I imagine that the original shellac (?) finishes applied to pipes of yore was somewhat permeable. So with this caveat here is the abridged and rearranged article from Dave Atherton.

The following text has been taken from and adapted from Dave Athertson’s article. Most of the sentences are his, but I may have revised and rearranged some for the abridged format, plus added some titles. Emphasis is mine.

 

Colour of Blackwood & Propensity to Crack

Generally, the lighter colored and less dense pieces of blackwood are much less prone to cracking due to having more ‘elasticity’. The darker, more dense and oily pieces — the ones so desired for their aesthetic appearance — tend to crack more readily due to having much less elasticity when going through wet/dry cycles. The irony is that the dense pieces make for a steadier set of drones and a much brighter chanter than the less dense billets.

Myth of Seasoning of Wood & Cracking

I don’t know any pipe maker or pipe making firm that doesn’t aspire to produce the best instrument they can. Smaller firms tend to have the ability to season their wood for much longer periods of time which results in a more dimensionally stable instrument, but dimensional stability per se does not prevent cracking. Dimensional stability would include features such as tuning chambers that don’t go oval or conical, bores that don’t warp, and wood that doesn’t shrink tangentially and allow for projecting mounts and ferrules to work their way loose.
 
While ‘seasoned’ wood will prevent warping, shrinkage, etc., it will not prevent a piece of wood from cracking. The idea that wood will not crack when ‘seasoned’ or ‘the wood cracked because it wasn’t seasoned long enough’ is pure nonsense. Logically, if wood only cracks because it wasn’t seasoned long enough then ultimately the seasoning process (drying) itself would render every piece of wood cracked and useless. Studies using 40 year old blackwood by The Institute for Musical Instrument Making in Zwota/Vogtland, Germany have shown that any further aging of blackwood beyond the time necessary to properly season the wood makes no difference at all in terms of preventing cracks. ‘Twenty year old blackwood‘ may make for good marketing but it won’t make a better instrument.
 
Truth of Moisture and Cracking
 
Two sections cracking simultaneously is absolutely a moisture issue as drone sections are all different ages. Stocks, bottom sections, etc. are chosen for a set of pipes from literally hundreds of pieces of all different ages. Two parts cracking simultaneously because the ‘wood was bad’ is an ignorant proposition. This would be tantamount to three tires on your car going flat at the same time because the ‘rubber was bad’. No one could possibly engineer two or more parts of a pipe to fail at the same when one of them is two years old and the other one is five years old, both parts came from different regions in Africa and from multiple suppliers. The only way this can happen is through the commonality of water exposure.
 
 Myth of Flawed Wood & Cracking
 
Another persistent myth about why wood cracks is the ‘flaws in the wood’ theory. Wood is shipped to a manufacturer in random billet form and with initial high water content. Blackwood has a natural oil within the dense fibers that helps to prevent it from drying rapidly, and because of this, it’s actually very rare for a solid billet to develop any checking, cracking, or any other visible flaw. Any flaw that develops is easily seen. There is no such thing as an inchoate crack or flaw, as any flaw will rapidly develop into a crack that can be seen from outer space. Blackwooddoes not crack slowly — it cracks quickly and without warning.
 
Efficacy of Water Traps
 
Using a water trap or some form of moisture control is highly recommended to slow down the rate of water absorption in the bores of your pipes. If you don’t use a water trap for moisture control, the wood of the instrument will become the primary place for the absorption of water – in effect becoming a wooden water trap – this is just begging for problems. An effective trap will help to prevent rapid shifts in the moisture gradients of the wood that can lead to differential drying and cracking. Additionally, keeping water out of the bores will help to prevent raising the grain within the bores which can result in dull tone.
 
What to Do After Playing Your Pipes
 
After playing your pipes the bores should be allowed to dry. This means swabbing out any excess moisture from the bores as well as removing the drones from the stocks to allow air to circulate inside the bores and keep them dry, thus preventing the interiors from swelling and causing any unnecessary cracking or other moisture related problems. The blowpipe in particular should be totally removed from the stock, to allow the blowpipe stock to dry. Moisture intensive parts such as the blowpipe stock and chanter stock should be given special attention. Both of these stocks are under a lot of stress due to excessive moisture collecting in the bore, and they should both be allowed to dry in between playing sessions. Cracked blowpipe stocks are rather common but can be avoided if proper care is taken. Pay attention to any excess moisture collecting on the underside of the bottom projecting mounts; they should be kept dry to avoid discoloration and/or cracking.
 
Temperature & Humidity
 
Large swings in temperature and humidity should be avoided. Your pipes should optimally be stored in a temperature/humidity controlled environment. Pipes should be stored and transferred in a quality instrument case to allow the pipes and ivory to slowly acclimate from one extreme to the next. Do not store them next to or near a heat source, or air conditioner. When transporting your instrument from the car to a venue, etc., make sure to let the pipes acclimate to the environment before playing the pipes or removing them from the case. Playing in extreme weather conditions is simply asking for problems. African blackwood is a durable wood but it has its limits. I’m amazed that some people are still subjecting their expensive handmade and customized instruments into conditions that they would not allow a two hundred dollar coffee table to sit in for more than one minute. If you’re uncomfortable, your instrument is also uncomfortable. Playing in cold weather or hot weather is to be avoided. Warm air through a cold exterior is terrible for the wood. Likewise, heat combined with low humidity and direct sunlight on the pipes is also risky. If you must play in these conditions, I recommend a plastic pipe or a disposable wooden set.
 
Finally, Oiling
 
New pipes should be oiled regularly for the first six months and oiled less( 6-8 times per year) for the life of the instrument: six to eight times per year with an emphasis on the change of seasons, and more often in the fall and winter. The dry fall and winter months are when cracking is likely to occur. Pay attention to the relative humidity levels of your playing and storage environment. The ideal RH for a woodwind is 45-55% — lower than this is considered a stress on the wood. Oiling the bores prevents rapid absorption of the water from your breath into the wood. The oil slows down the rate of absorption, acting as a ‘rain coat’ as it comes in contact with water. I recommend using Bore Doctor bore oil on the inside and outside of the pipes and both surfaces done at the same time. Cracking will never start on the interior of the drone; it will happen on the exterior as this is where the wood is the driest. Therefore, the emphasis should be on oiling not only the bores, but also the exterior of the pipes. Oiling is nutrition for the wood and should be done regularly.New instruments should be oiled every two-three weeks for the first 3-6 months depending on your climate or when your pipes are delivered. If you receive your pipes in the fall and winter months they should be oiled frequently and right away. If you live in a dry climate the same applies. If you receive your new pipes in the fall and winter months, oiling is even more important. The first fall and winter for a new woodwind are the most critical. Limit your playing time during the instrument’s first fall and winter (low humidity cycle).
 
Cracking on the exterior is indicative of the wood being too dry on the outside and too wet on the inside. This is the only reason wood will crack – excessive moisture gradients. A new bagpipe that is never played is not going to crack. As water is introduced to the pipes through playing, the grain is going to expand/swell and put pressure on the dry exterior. If the bore expands rapidly and exceeds the strength limit of the wood, cracking can occur and it will do so rapidly and without warning. This is not my opinion, this is scientific fact. Oiling the interior and exterior slows down the rate at which the wood will absorb water. Oiling your pipes will go a long way in preventing cracking. After oiling the bores, they should appear shiny when viewed through the bore with indirect light. If the bores are dry the next day, repeat oiling one more time. The best thing you can do to protect your investment is to oil your pipes and avoid extremes in temperature and moisture levels. Unless otherwise requested, your pipes will have a waxed finish and the oil applied to the exterior wood will easily penetrate. Wax such as Johnson’s or Butcher’s can be reapplied after oiling. Wipe on and wipe off with a new microfiber cloth.
Most of the text is from Dave Atherton’s website.

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