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CARING FOR YOUR
SHAKUHACHI
DO NOT SUBJECT YOUR SHAKUHACHI TO EXTREME CHANGES
IN TEMPERATURE.  NEVER LEAVE IT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR
NEAR SOURCES OF HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING.

BAMBOO IS SENSITIVE TO EXTREME CHANGES IN
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY.  STABILIZING THESE
CONDITIONS WHILE STORING YOUR FLUTE WILL ENSURE ITS
LONGEVITY.  IN MOST TEMPERATE CLIMATES, A LINED
CLOTH CASE WILL SUFFICE AND IS RECOMMENDED.  
STORING YOUR FLUTE IN A PLASTIC BAG COULD LEAD TO THE
BUILD UP OF MOISTURE AND THE GROWTH OF MOLD.

IF YOU LIVE IN AREAS OF HIGH HUMIDITY, IT IS BEST TO
CREATE A MOISTURE BARRIER ON YOUR FLUTE.  THIS COULD
BE A HARD LACQUERED OR PAINTED COATING ON THE
EXTERIOR AND BORE (MANY OF THE KOMUSO CARRIED
FLUTES PROTECTED THIS WAY), A MODERN CLEAR
POLYURETHANE FINISH, OR TUNG OIL (FROM THE TROPICAL
TUNG NUT).  TUNG OIL PROVIDES THE BEST NATURAL
MOISTURE BARRIER (PERHAPS THE ONLY OIL THAT CREATES
A MOISTURE BARRIER) BUT IS NOT IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS
A HARD LACQUER OR POLYURETHANE.  

KODOAN SHAKUHACHI OFTEN HAVE A NON-TOXIC CLEAR
LACQUER ON ITS EXTERIOR AND A NON-TOXIC, URUSHI
LACQUER SUBSTITUTE IN THE BORE OR "INTERIOR" OF THE
FLUTE.  URUSHI (JAPANESE LACQUER TRADITIONALLY USED
TO COAT THE INSIDE OF SHAKUHACHI) IS A RELATIVE OF
POISON OAK AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALLERGIC REACTIONS
(SOME QUITE SEVERE) TO IT.

CRACKS USUALLY APPEAR IN DENSE, THICK BAMBOO (SUCH AS
MADAKE') OR AT THE THICKEST PARTS OF THE BAMBOO (THE
NODES).  CREATING A SUFFICIENT MOISTURE BARRIER TO
PREVENT SWELLING, AS WELL AS, BINDING THE BAMBOO AT
THE NODES SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PROTECT
YOUR FLUTE AGAINST CRACKING.  

AS FOR "OILING" YOUR SHAKUHACHI, FLUTES CRACK FROM
SWELLING AND SHRINKING, NOT FROM BEING DRY.  
HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT YOUR SHAKUHACHI TO BE MORE
"RESPONSIVE" OR HAVE A FASTER "ATTACK", THEN A WELL
LACQUERED BORE WITH A FEW DROPS OF MINERAL OIL
RUBBED ON THE INSIDE WITH A SOFT CLOTH IS JUST THE
THING.  MINERAL OIL IS NOT THE BEST "PERFORMING" BORE
OIL, BUT IT IS THE MOST HYPO-ALLERGENIC.

IF AVAILABLE, A HARD, UNBREAKABLE TRAVELING CASE WILL
PROTECT YOUR SHAKUHACHI FROM CARELESS PEOPLE
DROPPING OR STEPPING ON YOUR FLUTE.