Are there any pipers left who remember the days of leather blowstick flapper valves? The little circles of old bag leather that dried up and had to be gnawed back to life in order to function? No? Well, once upon a time pipers had to make their own flapper valves to tie on to their blowpipes. It was an easy thing—cut a circle of leather with a tail and you’re done. The problem is that they wore out quickly—and usually with prejudice—and had to be replaced on a regular basis. Today we have rubber, plastic, and little vinyl flaps on strips of metal or plastic. But why rely on others for what you can make yourself? Harken back to the days when pipers made their own valves and follow the steps below to make your own. Buy a piper a valve and he plays for a day, teach a piper to make his own and he plays for a lifetime…or something.
This is the probably the coolest gizmo I’ve seen in a long while. Pipehacker does not play guitar but if he did, he would be making hundreds of picks out of old credit cards and hotel keys. I want one for practice chanter reeds.
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