A beautiful French, late nineteenth-century conical Boehm flute had been lovingly stored in a collection for the better part of 100 years until a new owner was willing to give it a new lease on life. The flute had been stored safely but was far from playable. Delicate keywork, a very dry and well seasoned grenadilla body and perishing case. I was eager to take the time and care to restore this flute and maintain the integrity of the original craftsmanship.
I began by removing and fitting the delicate German silver keywork, which was significantly worn on the rods and point screws. I didn't have to fabricate or remake any keywork but there was it was an extensive process re-fitting every hinge rod. Precision fitted keywork helps the flute to play with stability, stay regulated and allows the player to feel a positive, consistent response. Only one key had a small crack which was re-soldered and shaped back to the original profile.
The body was a dense piece of grenadilla with an attractive grain pattern, however the toneholes have sustained damage, evidence of previous repair, chips and cracks in the fine edges. Having worked on many oboes, clarinets and other wooden flutes, I am no stranger to a ragged tonehole. The edge of the tonehole is crucial to the seal of the instrument and I take pride in the appearance and integrity of every tonehole in this project. Most of the pillars were loose and misaligned. I removed each pillar and gave them a strong anchor into the body. Some pillar holes were leaking through small fissures into the bore. I was able to stabilise each minor crack and seal every hole. This ensured it was airtight, I test each stage of repair with a magnahelic, suction test and pressurised underwater.
The wooden crown had a significant chip out of it, so to keep it original I filled this with a combination of blackwood dust and glue. It was then hand-shaped on the lathe to match the original shape perfectly without distortion.
Oiling wooden instrument bodies can be a contentious subject however I strongly advocate regular oiling procedure to build stability and water resistance in the fibrous wooden structure. After I finished all the bodywork I began a slow oiling process over a few weeks till the bore was stable and water resistant.
The keywork was then polished and cleaned carefully to remove any debris and bring to a lovely shine, being careful to preserve the original profiles and shapes. The keywork was beautifully crafted but very thin.
As this flute was going to be played, I decided to replace all perishable parts with modern materials. I modified felt pads to fit the very thing pad-cups. I used a variety of natural cork and synthetic felt for adjustment materials. New needle springs were fitted with the ideal tension of a smooth, positive and consistent action.
A nerve-wrecking point of any restoration, test playing. I was surprised how delicate the tone and clarity could be on a wooden conical bore flute. There were a few fine adjustments in the regulation for intonation and response, but it was successful rebuild which means one very happy owner.
