Hew Morrison Collection > Piobaireachd

How to Keep the Great Highland Bagpipe in Order 167
be put next the wood on all parts requiring tightening, as it prevents the hemp
from moving or locking when removing the joint if the pipes are very dry. Always
finish off with clean hemp towards the top, and see that the part inserted is not too
tightly put in, as this will prevent the stock from spUtting. A httle mutton fat or
dripping should then be put on the top of the hemp. It will make the joint moist,
easy to remove, and perfectly air-tight.
A most important pait about the blowpipe is the valve, used for preventing the
wind from escaping unnecessarily. It is a very simple matter to replace the valve
when it is old and worn out. If the pipes have been laid past for six months without
being regularly played, even although the valve is good, it often cracks at the part
where it is attached to the blowpipe and breaks off altogether. In any event, owing
to the time necessary to put right an old or very dry valve, it is easier to replace it
at once with a new one. To replace the old valve, get a thin piece of upper leather
and shape out a new one, leaving a small strip at one side to fit into the groove on
the side of the blowpipe. See that the valve is slightly narrower than the end of
the blowpipe so that it will have sufficient room to move up and down as the air
goes into the bag. When satisfied that the valve is completely air-tight, insert the
blowpipe into its stock. One of the difficulties which pipers often find about the
blowpipe valve is, that they do not allow it to hang or droop downwards. If the
blowpipe is inserted into its stock and the valve opens down it is much more difficult
to raise in order to keep in the wind, than it would be simply to close the valve if
it were hanging down. In the case of the valve hanging down one has only to use
the arm slightly, and it is closed ; whereas if the part of the valve which is attached
to the blowpipe is turned so that the valve falls back, or in Une with the lower edge
of the blowpipe, then the valve has to be blown upwards, which requires far more
pressure to keep it up to prevent the wind escaping.
The tuning slides should also be carefully attended to at regular periods in
order to see that they are neither too tight nor too loose. WTien replacing hemp
on the portion that is inserted into the upper part of the drone, rosin should be
put on the hemp next the wood. This prevents the hemp turning round on the
slide, or locking if the joint is too tight. Always finish off winding with clean hemp,
and put a Uttle grease on the top of it. The joint will then be air-tight, and
the upper portion of the drone will be more easily moved up or down when tuning.
Mutton fat is recommended because it does not swell the hemp.
MetaUic joints are used nowadays, and approved of by several pipers and bag-
pipe makers. Metal is supposed to be more suitable for tuning joints than the use