Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

My pal, who makes very nice side-blown, 'Irish' flutes, says that it is quite important to oil exposed parts of the endgrain in a wooden flute.

It regulates the little channels that transported water up from the roots.

This was the way the tree moved water around itself so it makes sense (to me anyway... at the moment) that it will be a moisture issue when the wood becomes a flute, and that oiling here will moderate moisture loss... (another celebrated flute-making friend says oiling flutes is all 'stuff andf blarney'... he just oils the flute after turning and that's that!).

Exposed endgrain on a shakuhachi would be any exposed section area, tone holes, utaguchi cut.

Is the same true for bamboo? Is this all cow pie?

Regards,

Harry.