Expert: Kenton Scott - 7/28/2010

Question
Hello,

Several days ago I aquired a wonderful flute! It is a wood four keyed flute which I assumed was a replica of an early flute. Initially I thought it to be a baroque style flute but after a little on-line searching several questions arose:

First this flute appears to be an actual/original Firth & Hall four keyed flute. It is marked with this name on all of the sections as well as the location (Franklin Ny) on one of the sections. The flute is made from some type of very dense hardwood that looks like rosewood or cocuswood. It also has ivory ferrules(?) seperating the sections.
The keys appear to be silver and while the pads look very old and worn they seem to work fine. After inspecting with a magnifying glass there seems to be one very small surface crack around the lowest key. This crack does not effect the playing of it...Oh yeah the flute is, according to my korg tuner, a D.
While I know absolutely nothing about this type of flute I have been a maker of native american flutes for more than twenty years.

My questions are about cleaning and reconditioning. All of the playing and sound holes are very dirty. The keys are tarnished, and the flute body could use some sprucing up. I will also assume that the flute could use some oiling.

I use cold pressed walnut oil on the flutes I build. Will this work on the Firth&Hall flute?

The sections of the flute are fairly easy to take apart except the first and second one.

I guess this is getting rather long. I live on the coast of Maine near Bar Harbor and do not know of a local resource where I can direct my questions or get help. I would love to recondition this flute with out runing the quality of its age. Any advice you can offer will be immensely appreciated!

Thank you very much.

Hawk Henries

Answer
Hawk,

This isn't my area, but since you wrote such a detailed question, I don't want to leave you with no comment.  If I had such an instrument, I can tell you what I would do.  I would contact Tim Holmes at A+R Music in Michigan.  I'm sure there are other folks that you could contact, but I know Tim and his abilities.  I know he would put the instrument into good playing condition and could tell you how to maintain it.