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February 04, 2005
Moldy Hocchiku
Here's a question asking about dealing with mold in Hocckiku. The name has been changed to protect the innocent ;-)
Hi Sylvestor,
Thanks for your email.
> I was reading posts at the shakuhachi email list web
> archive and you
> mentioned about mold forming in the bore of
> Hocchiku.
> I have a few Hocchiku from Japan and I do experience
> this phenomenon,
> especially right in the finger holes in addition to
> the bore.
> I have figured out that it has to do with moisture
> ,but is there any
> way to inhibit the mold forming?
The only way is to leave it out in in the air. An airtight humid environment breeds mold.
I even tried
> leaving the flute out of
> the plastic bag for hours but this still happens.
Once the mold has started, you must kill it or it will never go away.
> Do you know if there are any negative side effects
> or dangers of
> playing the flute with mold or mildew forming in it?
You might develope an allergy from repeated exposure to the same mold.
> It has been a concern of mine but I had not known
> who to ask. I have
> not experienced anything or any reactions but I am
> wondering if it is
> harmful.
Maybe, maybe not. Everyone's immune system is different.
> Also, I would love to know how you go about the
> cleaning of the bore
> with tea tree or grapefruit seed extract.
First, ask an herbal specialist. I would go to a big health food store and ask the chemist which is better to kill mold in dry bamboo with - tea tree or grapefruit seed extract. Then ask what is a good mixture to make for this antifungal use. See which one has a smell you won't mind smelling for a while. Lastly, ask if it needs rinsing after the application.
> I would appreciate the instruction on how to do
> this.
After you've prepared the mixture at home, run the flute through the faucet in your bath tub with warm water. Use a stiff brush and scrub the walls of the flute as you run the water through it. Make sure you get the finger holes. After the a few minutes, when you see clear water running through, apply the mixture with the brush and scrub the bore out gently but firmly. Then, depending on what the chemist said, either leave the extract in or flush it out.
Dry the bore by pulling a draw cloth throgh it several times. Then put a fan at one end to dry it out.
Also, how often
> do you do this procedure?
I would do this once and then wait to see if the mold comes back. If it does, then you might need a stronger cleaning agent and/or find a way to store the flute without too much humidity.
> Thanks for your time,
> -Prem
Normally, flutes crack when they are dried out. Your flute should not crack under these circumstances. However, during the drying process, you would want to keep an eye on it. Take the fan off it after an hour or two and let it room dry.
Please let me know if this works for you.
Good luck,
Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at February 4, 2005 06:04 PM