Whistles

[Sue R]

Dear Fellow Handlers (well, that's a bit presumptuous on my part, but it makes me feel just a bit "McCaigian"):

 

I absolutely have never been able to make a peep using my fingers. I have a Montana Lite whistle and I despair of being able to blow on it with any consistency.

 

I have seen one or two references that indicate that a thicker type of whistle might be easier to blow (for those of us who are orally challenged). Maybe buffalo horn or corian?

 

At Frontrunner, I was admiring the brass whistle that Sam won at a recent trial (that was just presented to her at home). I have also totally forgotten who told me he made them and how much he liked them. It also was a bit thicker than the Montana Lite.

 

Could I get some advice/info from you folks who know how to whistle, what type of whistles you find most suitable? Easiest for a beginner? And, where to get them.

 

I have only been able to locate those that Sheep Dogs in Action have, the Commander from England, and those from Francis Raley (which I think are also included in those from SDiA). But, I have overheard at a couple of trials, that there are folks who make whistles of different types (and sell direct, I think) but, of course, I can't remember who or where, and wouldn't know how to contact them if I did.

 

Thanks!

[Pipedream Farm]

Sue,

 

I believe Gene Sheninger was telling me he and Rob D. made brass whistles; I don't know if they were the halfmoon or MT lite style. You should be able to find Gene's email on Little Hats.

 

Mark

[Bordersprings]

Francis sent to me a number of the A-1 whistles which she gets from the UK. Let me know and I can get one in the mail to you. Kent Kuykendall introduced me to the A-1 and I think it is very easy to use..and the price is right.

[SoloRiver]

Gene and Rob call them "Brass Blasters." They are VERY loud. I don't have one because they don't come in a half-moon shape (or maybe they do now, I'll have to ask) and I can't blow the other kind. Email Gene at esheninger@optonline.net.

[Lana]

Sue,try Border Collies in action at www.bordercollies.com/cat-fr.htm I would say the Plastic is easiest to blow but I love the buffalo horn for ease of blowing and great tone and volume.i dont like the metal on my teeth and when it is cold....eoowowwo.Lana

[Sue R]

Melanie, You bring up an interesting point. What does determine whether a person chooses the half-moon or other shape? I have a big mouth - does that make any difference?

 

Craig, I am interested in the A-1 A-shaped whistle. Would you mind letting me know what you charge, including shipping, please?

 

Mark, thank you. I have emailed Gene S. to get some info about his whistle.

 

Lana, I had wondered if anyone would mention the buffalo horn. It looks appealing, all natural, etc. Do you feel it is pretty easy? I have heard a number of folks comment that they didn't really care for the plastic. Do you think plastic would make a good "beginner's whistle" or would its ease just make it a crutch?

 

In my home farm situation, I am not dealing with long distances. A quarter mile is probably the longest line of sight distance. Occasionally I do have the dogs working out of sight when they are gathering but, if I can't see them, I don't expect I would be trying to direct them, either.

 

I understand that windy conditions or other competing noises might interfere with the dog hearing a whistle that is not sufficiently loud. I have already noticed that voice commands do not carry far enough under certain conditions in my longer fields.

 

I really do need to "grow up" in directing my dogs by learning and implementing the use of the whistle but I am certainly not developing much consistency in my practice time with my current whistle. That's why I am considering trying a differently constructed whistle.

 

Thanks for all your replies!

[Pipedream Farm]

Sue,

I have a stainless steel whistle that was given to me. It was milled from one piece of steel and is a slightly different shape than the others I've seen here. If I can find info on this whistle I'll post it. To find out what shape works for you, you'll have to try the various types. Some complain about the MT lite shape (same shape as the plastic whistles) cutting their mouths. I find it works better for me than the halfmoon shape and I find the plastic ones (and probably the carved ones too) to be too thick.

 

Good luck on your search.

 

Mark

[cgt]

I started with the plastic ones, which are a little on the thick side and not too hard to blow. They're cheap enough, you might as well try one! I seem to recall seeing Kathy Knox using plastic whistles. Can any one confirm that? If so, not a bad recommendation!

 

Just for fun I bought a Montana Lite a couple of years ago and I quickly quit the plastic ones because I could get a comparatively purer, cleaner tone from the Lite - although it wasn't as loud. I like the whistles a little on the small side, so the Lite was good for that. The moon stuff is too big for me. But I am a real chewer, especially when running at a trial, so I had to quit with the metal stuff. I switched to the Buffalo Horn about a year ago. I like it. It's a little thicker than the Lite, but not quite as massive as the plastic. It's loud enough and has pretty good tone variation. But I am having to work a lot harder to get good tones when I am trying to whistle very quietly. I'm sticking with it for now. Having said that, most of my friends have half-moons and brass things that are sort of moon-shaped.

 

charlie

[Lana]

sue,i think the Plastic is a great beginner whistle because they are so easy to blow and they are cheap! I just like the tone of the buffalo over the metal it seemed richer to me. Lana

[Lana]

ps sue yes i think the buffalo is easy to use.i got one for a friend who was having trouble with the metal and he loved it.Ditto for my hubby.Lana

[Jennifer Glen]

What kind of whistle are you going to start the baby on Lana?

Jenny:)

[Lana]

Jenny,now that you mention it, i have a great pick that Michele Howard took of James with my whistle in his mouth..very cute...and he seems to prefer the buffalo.LOL Lana

[blackacre]

Hi guys,

For a different perspective, the first whistle I could make a sound on was the aluminium one made by Chuck O'Reilly. Much thinner than the plastic and others. However, I changed to ivory and then corian to get a richer sound. Unfotunately, Ray Coapman no longer makes either. Very distressing.

Metal I find sticks to your mouth in the cold.

Horn tastes bad, smells funny and has a rough texture.

As for shape, the Fortune-style flanges keep it from popping out of my mouth when I blow hard. Some people, I understand, actually bite their whistles with their teeth so the flanges are superfluous. Weird but true.

A.

[tucknjill]

I am one of those ppl that bites the whistle with my teeth..an arnold actually..remind me(Andrea) when I see you..I will show you, my teeth are filed flat actually... Now we can all just leave the above mentioned fact alone ok?

[Sue R]

Thanks, guys, for all this great information. Now that there are so many differing recommendations, I still have to make a choice!

 

However, I appreciate all this info. I will probably try another whistle, something a bit thicker, to see if I can do better.

 

Now, can any of you tell me your secrets for getting to blow consistent tones (and sometimes, any tones at all) from the whistle? I see that some hold it with their teeth - I assume that means others hold it with their lips only?

 

I gather the flanges allow the smaller whistle (conventional Montana Lite style) to stay in the mouth and not get spit out? Does that mean that the half-moon is large enough to stay in but, for some, too large?

 

Maybe I could just record whistles and program a little digital recorder with buttons, and then I could just press "Go Bye" with an "Out", and it would do the job for me? Of course, I would need to learn to press the buttons in a timely fashion and I can't even give voice commands consistently and in a timely manner.

 

At least none of you have any fear of facing me in competition in this lifetime! Thanks for all the help. I'm ready and willing to listen to all you have to post.

[SoloRiver]

The fact that the horn and corian whistles are apparently no longer available is very distressing to me. I'd better not lose or break the ones I have!

 

I find it easier to blow a thicker whistle. I don't know why I like the half-moon shape better -- it's just easier for me to use. The buffalo horn and corian whistle are almost identical in terms of use and tone. The advantage of corian is that (a) it doesn't start out tasting like burnt hair (the taste goes away eventually with the horn whistle but at first it's pretty awful) and ( I don't need to worry about it drying out and breaking. I have a stainless steel half moon as well that I find a bit too thin. It's good for high tones, but a bit harder for me to have good control on and it isn't very loud. The plastic whistle I tried to start off with is totally useless for me -- I can barely do anything with it.

 

Gene's and Rob's brass whistles are getting very popular around here. They're thick and as I mentioned, very loud. If they make a half-moon shape I'll buy one.

 

If you're used to whistling using your tongue as well as your lips (i.e., curling your tongue right behind your upper teeth and using it to make tones) it'll be easier to learn to use a shepherd's whistle, I think. The other thing that makes it easier is not trying too hard. It's kind of like ice skating that way.

[rac]

I must say reading that some folks find it distressing that I might not be making whistles anymore is somewhat gratifying, it is, in fact, not true. I have for all intents and purposes stopped making Corian whistles though. Two reasons: I was getting too many pidgeon holes to keep filled with whistles by offering so many different styles, AND I was beginning to think that the Corian material might be too brittle to make a good long-lasting whistle. I know that a lot of people like the Corian for its texture and lack of taste (it's actually a mineralized plastic so it almost has a clean taste if anything), but I just got to feeling that my reputation as a craftsman might be in jeopardy if some of them started breaking at inopportune times. The buffalo horn I've always felt is strong, flexible enough, and dense enough not to get waterlogged.

 

As far as my opinion of the different whistles that are available goes... I think that myself and all the folks that make or mass produce shepherd's whistles honestly try to make the best whistle possible. I began making whistles because I couldn't find a whistle that wouldn't quit on me when I was nervous and blowing my lungs out at the post. I don't blow so hard now, but I did learn how to make a whistle that works really well FOR ME. I found that FOR ME a thicker whistle with a nice gap between the leaves and a well placed, generously sized blow hole can handle a lot of air and pretty much does the trick. I found also that there are outer limits to these things, and if the envelope is pushed too hard you'll wind up with a whistle that will blow loud but is almost impossible to blow softly.

 

It's impossible to say that one whistle is better that another. It's all in what the user does with it. I did some R/D when I started and again when I was searching for another material to offer besides horn. I still experiment occassionally, and when I find that some little change makes a consistantly better whistle I start incorporating that change into the whistles that go out into the world. One parameter that most people find hard to get used to though is thickness. I don't personally have a problem with a thick whistle, but I know a lot of people do. So this is one area where I compromise. The whistle that I use is thicker than what I generally sell simply because I like it that way and it performs well FOR ME. Producing each whistle individually allows me some latitude and even some room for 'special orders'.

 

My advice would be to try many whistles and find the one that works the best for you. Keep in mind that what works best for you now might not still be the best for you in a year or two as your whistling improves and your whistling needs might change. I'm pretty busy right now out in Santa's whistle workshop , but generally I take private orders and will consider special orders. Happy whistling and Happy Holidays

 

 

Ray