Never do anything to a cold reed. No reed will sound it’s best before it has been warmed and taken on a bit of moisture. Think of it like a muscle in the body. You never put your muscles through a workout without first warming them up.
So before sounding a reed, put it in your mouth and blow some warm air on it. Don’t lick or bite the reed at all. Just blow warm air onto it for a minute or two. Put it in the chanter and play a bit. If it’s not too hard for you, play it in your pipes for a few minutes. A cold reed may give you some false readings and may cause you to make erroneous corrections. Adjusting a cold reed, by squeezing it, may also cause the cane to split or crack. To ensure the correct adjustments are made without damage to the reed it must first be warmed completely.