Native American Flute-Making Tools
The materials Native American flute-making tribes utilize to design their flutes were influenced by the region they inhabited. In modern times, the subject of Native American flute making tools includes both the modern tools used by flute makers today and the tools traditionally used to make flutes.
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File
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A modern tool used for flute making, the file, is used for shaping various parts of the flute. Files come in different sizes.
Knives
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A large knife is a useful more traditional tool when creating a piece of wood into a flute. It may be employed for various functions, such as when the flute maker harvests the wood for the flute, and when the flute maker makes general size changes to the flute. For closer cuts, flute makers may use smaller knives.
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Bow Drill or Soldering Iron
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A bow drill is a more traditional tool for boring the finger holes of a flute. It is comprised of a small bow with a loose string, a sharpened stick and a rock. A soldering iron is like a modern version of the bow drill, and is an electric cylindrical iron with a pointed tip.
Sharpened Natural Material
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Sharpened natural materials are amongst the traditional tools used for flute making. Such materials include sharpened stones.
Sand or Sandpaper
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Sand is a natural tool used to give the flute a smooth finish. A more modern tool is sandpaper.
Water
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Water is used to rinse sawdust from the flute after it has been worked. To be very traditional, water comes from the flute's original location, such as from a river or lake.
Electric Tuner
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When boring the finger holes, to create precisely-tuned flutes, flute makers may utilize the electric tuner. One method for adjusting the pitch of a note involves making a small hole in the general area, testing the sound, and gradually making it larger either up, down or in both directions along the flute.
Modern Woodworking Tools
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Native American flute carvers may utilize modern tools specifically designed for woodworking. This can include power tools or manual tools.
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References
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