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Who carries a rycote comb with them and combs their windjammer when no-one's looking?

I've seen some pretty matted-down windjammers and tribbles and I can't help but think that it affects the audio quality.

How do you keep your windjammers in excellent condition and still soft and fuzzy?

Utopia
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5 Answers5

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I use the comb before every session if I can help it, and make sure to air it out when it gets wet by hanging it on the mic stand. If it got really wet, I'll blow dry it lightly then hang it to dry (much in the same vain of drying a dress shirt).

Stavrosound
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  • Thanks! I didn't even think about blowdrying but that makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much for the tips. – Utopia Aug 09 '11 at 01:28
  • Sure thing! I have found it best in my own experience to dray it 75% of the way with the blowdryer and let it air-dry the rest of the way so the hairs behave/rest naturally. My thought on it is that usually any water that gets on the windjammer is not sterile, so the sooner it gets dried off, the less moisture there is for bacteria and mold to develop. Hopefully to extend the life of the windjammer – Stavrosound Aug 09 '11 at 01:41
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When no one's looking? I have no shame. If it's windy and dusty out, I'll do it whenever the camera isn't rolling...just to break down potential trouble spots as they develop. It's all those light individual fibers that cuts the wind noise, and the jammer is more effective when they're not all matted down. I'll give it a good once over at the end of the day after I've taken it off of the windscreen too.

Like Stavrosound mentioned, dealing with moisture quickly will extend the life of the jammer. [Never used the blowdryer trick though. That's a great idea.] Once I know it's good and dry, mine goes into a ziplock bag with a dessicant to keep it that way.

Shaun Farley
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  • Ha! T'was a joke. :-) Thanks - I have seen the combs provided with the jammers and never knew how often people actually used them and I see from your guys' responses it's a good idea to keep it in good shape and use it regularly. – Utopia Aug 09 '11 at 02:13
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I comb before most sessions. If I'm by the sea, in a humid or dusty country, I'll comb it at the end of the day. I cringe when I see people shoot with them matted, I've never tested but must be pretty bad for the sound.

Also, I put it inside out while traveling and storing it.

Andrew Spitz
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I store them inside out, and brush them regularly (before, during and after) as this removes dirt as well increases surface area. You can also gently hand wash them (gentle detergent) and use conditioner during the rinse if they get dirty. If you need to blow dry them, try using the hair dryer on cool or cold setting, as it is quite easy to melt the fur.

Brushing makes a huge difference, as the whole principle is increasing the surface area, which is obviously not the case when it's matted.

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I always store them with silica gel (that you will most likely find in camera shops), in addition to what previous people said. Into hermetic zip lock bags, this prevent moisture and keep them perfectly dry, which is especially important when not using them for a long time.

AJ Henderson
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Mickael
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