Robin Clark - Posted - 03/26/2014:  08:21:09

Hi,

I have a Frank Proffitt mountain banjo (or at least a banjo with the back of the skin signed by Frank Proffitt Jr in 1972).  It has a possum skin head and I was wondering if there is anything I should be doing to condition the head occasionally?  I play the instrument a few hours each week as it sits in my office.  I live in Wales, UK and our general humidity fluctuations are not extreme and house is not centrally heated (it is an old stone house built around 1830).  Also, I'm thinking of buying a tack head banjo with a calf skin so any advise on how to look after that would also be appreciated.

Thanks,

Robin 

Gus Bloch - Posted - 03/26/2014:  08:56:31

I made a rawhide skin head for an old Slingerland uke well over ten years ago. After the initial wet installation, light tensioning, drying, trimming, reinstallation and tensioning without the plastic wrap (which protected the banjo from the wet rawhide), I've done nothing but play it. Products such as neats foot oil, mink oil or Lexol are generally for tanned and finished leather products. I've never used them on raw leather. but perhaps I will now try a test piece and see what happens.

Gus Bloch - Posted - 03/26/2014:  09:44:24

Other than a slight darkening of the color, I saw no harm in the test piece. I then disassembled the banjo uke, rubbed in a

white paste style mink oil while softening the paste with a hair dryer on medium heat. After fully treating the head on both sides and rim, then wiping off the excess oil,  the banjo was reassembled and set up to full tension. The threads showing above the lugs are about the same as before indicating no significant stretching or shrinking. The banjo may sound better, but this could be due to the servicing or a placebo effect.

There is likely no harm done by mink oiling a rawhide head no matter what the animal of origin and it should help preserve it.

Neats foot oil may be somewhat stronger in the softening effect.

cbcarlisle - Posted - 03/26/2014:  10:06:55

Don't touch it! I have several Frank Proffitt and Leonard Glenn banjers with the original heads, dating as far back as 1964, and have Never had any trouble. I'd keep them away from extremes of heat, moisture, but that's true of myself, too.

jbalch - Posted - 03/26/2014:  10:20:27

I would not apply anything to an older rawhide head.  I have seen and used some that were 80-100 years old. With reasonable care and protection from extremes, a good head can last a very long time.

There is frequent discussion about applying waterproofer spray to rawhide heads.  I do that on my new pre-mounted hides. I use SofSole aerosol waterproofer. It in invisible and undetectable on the skin.  I think it might help with initial resistance to humidity. But I doubt that it has much impact on a well-seasoned, older hide.