View Full Version : Where's the Almond Oil?
Michael McWilliams
02-04-2002, 11:13 AM
I'm not looking to start a debate on the virtues or vices of putting oil in one's drones. But, supposing one decided that he wanted to oil them...
...and the manufacturer recommends sweet almond oil...
Where in blazes does one find the stuff?
I've been to supermarkets, health food stores, gourmet supply stores...and, yeah, I've checked out some piping supply shops.
None have almond oil. What am I missing here?
Any leads would be most appreciated.
--
And let's hear it for The New England Patriots!!!!! YEAH!!
Iain Sherwood
02-04-2002, 11:25 AM
Try a pharmacy; most health food stores can order it for you.
HepcatBob
02-04-2002, 12:18 PM
Here's a source.
http://www.thesage.com/catalog/FixedOil.html
I purchased some at an organic food store. I would be surprised if you can't find it there.
Curt
For the record I don't oil my pipes. Wouldn't want to distroy the tone.
Celticgurl
02-04-2002, 03:37 PM
http://www.everythingscottish.com
FANATIC PIPER
02-04-2002, 04:28 PM
Everybody has an opinion, so consider this is almond oil the natural oil in african blackwood. There are alternatives to this, among them Teak oil, linseed oil, almond oil, rape seed oil. The truth is any light natural or mineral oils can help prevent the wood from drying out and cracking, or god formid splitting straight through. Try looking in your yellow pages for a french polisher or antiques restorer as the use a wide range of products to enhance and treat wood.
I was able to get almond oil from Wild Oats which is a national chain of health food stores in the US. I suggest buying a small quantity, preferably in a sealed bottle. Wild Oats sells it in bulk with little plastic bottles nearby that you can fill up. The stuff turned into a rancid mess in a couple of weeks once exposed to air :mad: and had to pitch it. I use still almond oil on my Native American flutes in addition to the pipes.
Gene
Sean Somers
02-04-2002, 06:22 PM
Although this is not exactly what you asked about, it may be worthy of mention...
I've always used 'Woodwind Bore Oil' (available at any "regular" music supply shop - used for wooden clarinets, etc.).
It's readily available just about anywhere, it's cheap and effective - I've used it on all my pipes and have yet to have a problem with cracking wood (especially travelling back and fourth to the prairies where it's D-R-Y)!
Food for thought - might be an easier altervative to the almond oil.
Cheers,
Sean
Rodney
02-04-2002, 08:16 PM
Originally posted by Michael McWilliams:
But, supposing one decided that he wanted to oil them...
...and the manufacturer recommends sweet almond oil...
Where in blazes does one find the stuff?
[/b]Michael,
Being thick headed at times. First place I'd be looking is the manufacturer that recommended this type of oil. Seems to me that if a specific product is needed/required for an instrument. The manufacturer would carry the item. :confused:
By the way congrats to New England. Best two final minutes of a football game I've watched in a long time.
:p
Michael McWilliams
02-05-2002, 09:36 AM
Aye. the maker recommends it...but I haven't talked with him. I've just assumed that it was "easy" to find. :confused: And my wife is a gourmet cook too. She thinks I'm just being dense :rolleyes:
Regarding those two final minutes of the Super Bowl. You have to be from Boston to appreciate the deja-vu that filled living rooms and pubs across the region. We've seen too many of our teams play world-class games only to throw it all away in the final clutch. The Rams thundered back to tie the game...and everyone was thinking .... "NO! Not again!"
Fortunately the Patriots decided "Not this time, NO more...Never again." It was like one of those epic thrillers where the hero has to confront his ancient internal nemesis and overcome it once and for all. What a finish!
We're even thinking the Red Sox might now overcome the Curse of the Bambino. :eek:
Dare to dream...
I am new to piping,but have found almond oil easy to obtain at a beauty salon supply shop. It is used also in the beauty industry.
Best regards
londonpiper
06-25-2002, 12:02 AM
By the way congrats to New England. Best two final minutes of a football game I've watched in a long time.
Yes, Well Done the USA for getting as far as the quarter finals :woohoo:
Oh, wait a minute, you're talking about American football aren't you, not the sort that everyone else plays.
Ach well, never mind, well done anyway.
:D
Wild Oats health food grocery stores carry it in bulk, usually near the vegetable section. Beware though, almond, like most nut oils, will go rancid quickly in air :bleh: . Give it a sniff before you bottle it. When not in use, keep it in the refrigerator.
further to my earlier contribution, I e-mailed Kintails in the UK who suggest on their pipes bore oil. I checked with a woodwind instrument repairer in sydney who says bore oil is similar to a type of linseed oil, without smell.
Regards
Malcolm
Ringo
06-26-2002, 07:01 AM
No, no no!
I spent a lot of time and energy on this one! I think I've found the best information and the best product on the market. Specially formulated for African Blackwood and woodwind instruments.
http://www.thebagpipeplace.com/page79.html for the information
http://www.thebagpipeplace.com/page69.html for the product!
Ringo
It's really dry here in Colorado and no matter how old and stable an instrument may be in the rest of the world, it will often crack when it gets here. My 1880 Glens arrived to me from Scotland in pristine condition after over 100 years of care and within a week the ivory shrank and cracks appeared in the wood. I've seen this happen whether the pipes were oiled or not. I tried woodwind bore oil and still had cracks showing up months later. Tried the sweet almond oil (found gallons of the stuff at Wild Oats). Cooking type gets rancid very fast, cosmetic/pharmaceutical type lasts longer but I can still smell it three years later--like that lingering smell from guys who've used linseed oil. Woodwind sites that I've checked recommended the bore oil from music shops or mineral oil, stating that bore oil is mostly mineral oil. Bore oil usually has petroleum distillates in it but some brands have a distinctive petrol smell. Petroleum isn't supposed to be all that good for wood. I've tested bore oils on wood samples and the strong petrol smelling stuff really did dry out the wood surface after a while of usage. The grain opened up more.
I also have a new set of McCallums which I'm not oiling. and am no longer oiling the Glens. My present theory is that most of the sweet sounding old classical musical instruments (violins, harpsichords, most flutes and such) were never oiled. Probably most of the great sounding old pipes we covet weren't oiled. That could contribute to the mellow, well seasoned sound we want. CHET
Jerry R. Pearce
06-26-2002, 10:12 AM
Michael:
I would ask Jim McGillivray as he has it in his video "Pipes Ready". He also recommends virgin olive oil and neatsfoot oil. You might ask him where he got these from. By the way, I have a question to ask you. Are the New England Patriots a new pipe band from Boston? Personally I prefer the team from CLeveland. :idea:
Geez, Ringo. Just read your paper on oiling and it does make sense with all the careful explanation you provided. Now I wonder, do I dare experiment anymore or go with my initial training and present gut feeling--protect the wood? Especially if the pores won't be clogged by this stabilized product. That's the truly important part of how wood works..........I'm thinking. CHET
Jeff Wolf
06-26-2002, 12:41 PM
To muddy the discussion further:
What about Cocobolo? I've heard it is an oilier wood than ABW. Anyone of the opinion that it needs oil?
Ringo
06-27-2002, 11:23 AM
Like I said... I spent a lot of time and energy on this one! Chet, by the time your Glen pipes arrived in Colorado the wood and ivory was already under considerable stress. It didn't take much (if anything) to push them over the edge. Perhaps the "best" preventative care would have been a thorough oiling (with the right stuff) before they left Scotland and again as soon as you got them over here. Once the wood starts moving the risk of cracks grows exponentially. I have read where it takes these exotic hardwoods about 6 months to thoroughly adjust to a new climate. The risk during these first several months is greatest.
All bagpipes experience some shrinkage when new. I know this from personal experience. The first sign of this is when one or more ferrules comes loose. The wood shrinks and pulls away from the ferrule. The only way to prevent this is to oil the wood. This happens with all bagpipes other than those made of delrin (polypenco). In my experience, cocobolo and African Blackwood behave more or less equally. Oil will benefit both.
Ringo