[the kid]

If the skin is exposed to water precautions would need to be taken like rubbing with a towel occasionally. Tuning down would also take some pressure off limiting the breakage. But in the case of exposure to moisture from hands the skin would be protected if there was some oil there which would make the skin more water proof.

I never used any oil on a djembe and am now thinking of trying some on a baragnouma drum i bought off someone. Feel I got stuck with a lemon really. I never seen the advantage of an over sized djembe. The proportions of this suck, hole too small for the large bowl. I put the thickest goat skin i ever saw on it for the guy and when he tuned it it warped the shell.

I was like is that my fault in skin selection or are the drum walls too thin compared to the large circumference of the drum.

Don't know if I should 'try' to put the skin on another more worthy drum or, oil it, and tune it hard but not in the spine to try and counter act the warp. There is also the option to soak in water and let the warp bounce back as someone mentioned here before. I was also thinking of putting a cow skin on it either but only have one at the moment and want it for one of my other drums. Should I send it back to the ngouma and ask why it warped so bad. I wish.

[boromir76]

Once, my drumming budy mentioned an interesting method on how to prevent moist from hands to come on to the skin playing surface. I don't know where he heard for this method or that I would ever saw him actualy using it, but it somehow fits in this thread under "alternative" solutions. It is quiet simple but unconventional in terms of ingredient that is being used, so bear with me. The playing surface should be rubbed with fresh garlic! When the garlic dries it makes very thin waterproof film layer or some kind of sealing coating. I haven't seen or tryied this method so far, but it sounds like interesting and definetely smely solution.

[korman]

Some people soak conga heads in oil. The purpose is to preserve the skin and enhance the tone.
I guess, it could also be used on dundun skins.

[korman]

The playing surface should be rubbed with fresh garlic! When the garlic dries it makes very thin waterproof film layer or some kind of sealing coating.

Could be used on male goat skin!

[woodworm]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post! I'm a fresh djembe builder from Croatia and I had just built my first djembe. One of the first questions that popped up to my mind was if it was a good idea to put bees wax on the goat skin to prevent it from taking moisture and de-tuning the drum. Then I found this topic and saw that opinions were divided, so I thought of applying a hydrophobic spray (water repellent) we use on Gore-tex garments and alike. Has anyone else thought of using this or experimented with, and what were the results?

Best regards from Croatia,
Marko a.k.a. woodworm