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Should you oil your pipes? I've come across many different opinions on this important topic. I heard from one famous piper who proclaimed to me "A drop of oil has never touched my pipes." I heard from another pipe major who told me he would completely submerge his pipes in a vat of oil at least once per year. My thoughts on the topic of oiling pipes have changed over the years, but in recent months I've come to follow the advice of someone who knows as much or more than anyone about the wood used to make bagpipes. Pipe maker Dave Atherton has an excellent write up on his website. Some of his key points: Pipes can crack due to "excessive moisture gradients," i.e., when the outside of the wood is dry and the inside is wet. As you play, moisture from your breath condenses on the inside of the pipes and causes the wood to ...