Djembe skin care.

In this blog we are going to talk about the oils to have the skin of the Djembe well maintained and ready to continue playing.

Natural goatskin membrane:

Being influenced by different factors, the skin can drain, stretch, tear or immobilize. The natural fat of animal skin helps make harmonics and makes the sound louder, that's why we advise using the skin that it was not industrially processed by chemicals that remove all fur, pigment spots and natural grease. In the course of time, all the skin will drain and crack, so keep its membrane more moist and protected.

Skin moisture:

The best way to maintain the natural characteristics of goatskin in a djembe is to touch it. The natural fat of the palms will massage and enrich the goat's skin, keeping it firm and durable. If you don't play your djembe regularly, it would be nice to have natural shea oil that can be removed from time to time. For drums that are played regularly, use small amounts of shea oil, but not often, mainly for membrane parts that are not in contact with your hands.
You should not use moisturizers for human skin, as they often contain additional chemicals that weaken the characteristics of tanned skin over time and even drain it (such as alcohol, for example). Moisten your hands with a small amount of shea oil and then massage the "head" of the drum. It will help you maintain the sound quality of your African drum for a long time.

Repairing wood cracks:

Wood drains from the surface to the center, so most djembe drums usually have micro fissures. If they were done before, you can even leave them unnoticed. In some cases, no matter how much oil has been extracted from the wood, it will crack anyway, which removes internal surface tension and becomes more stable. That is why it is not recommended that you close the crack by tightening its edges, as it can produce cracks in other places.

The easiest way to repair small djembe cracks is with the super glue and a sand cloth. Store the extra fragile wood inside the crack and feel the beginning, the end and the depth of the crack, piercing the depth of the crack with a thin knife (no additional force). After that, clean the body of the djembe over the crack with a sandpaper. The wood dust that appears will reach the crack. Place the powder lightly inside the crack with a knife and then cut the surface around and above the crack with a sandpaper again.
Then pour the super glue along the crack and then clean the bark firmly with sandpaper. Do not wait until the glue is set. Repeat the procedure until the crack is completely closed. To repair medium-sized cracks in African djembe drums, you need small-sized sawdust.

At first, remove all dirt and oil in the repair area and make sure the surface is dry. Fill all the cracks with sawdust, rubbing firmly with an sandpaper in the place of the crack. Pour the glue carefully over the sawdust inside the crack. The chemical reaction with the glue can be accompanied by heating and even smoke. Therefore, repair your drum in this way in a ventilated area, use the fan, open all windows.

When the mixture is set, repeat this procedure until all the cracks are filled with sawdust and glue.
To repair the crack in the same color as the drum, make sawdust by polishing the bottom of your djembe. If the sawdust or glue does not adhere, the reason is usually excess oil or moisture in the wood. In some cases, the crack can be so wide that it can extend completely through all the wood. In this case, the use of a small amount of saw dust or glue as an adhesive is probably not suitable.

To repair larger cracks, you need some carpenter's glue (glue or 5000 resistol), and also a long and constant work to compress the wood. Clamps, ties or belts for heavy objects can help. Make sure the surface is clean, draw the adhesive (follow the instructions on the label for best results) and firmly reconnect the edge of the crack. After the recommended drying time, remove the clips and then remove the excess glue and dirt from the surface with sandpaper.