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What is the best tuning slide grease to use on a tuba? Ive been using vaseline in the past, but im tired of the green residue it leaves and how often I have to use it. Any suggestions?

I like the red Conn crap (forgot the name).

Vaseline is not good. It will eventually dry out, stick, and darken the slides. I use a synthetic product called 'Super Lube' that can be ordered direct or picked up at Ace Hardware. I've never had a repair come back with a stuck slide.

Ive never thought about using a lube fromt he hardware store. Thanks!

Laugh as you may, but I use this:
http://baby.factoryoutletstore.com/deta ... 10020.html

Lasts forever, and works great!

Other good choices are "Lube-Gel" from Radio Shack, "Plumber's Grease" from Homey Depot, and ordinary motor oil.

When I was a teenager, I used Gunk's White Lithium Grease spray. It worked great on older horns. It was used on my Rudy RM-10, my school Yamaha YBB-641, various King sousaphones, and, at least once, on Dale Phelp's 6/4 Holton (before he bought it).

Looking at the MSDS today, I'd never touch it.

I use Zaja Slide Lube. It works great, is designed for instruments and won't gum up valves if it travels into them.



http://www.zajamusic.com/lube.htm

Cartridge reloaders have a product from Hornady called Unique Case Lube. It is all natural components and really makes slides "slick." It is designed to lube brass. You can order it on line or find it at any store selling supplies to shooters who reload their own cartridges. It is inexpensive - under $5 a most retailers.

But do you use a different lubricant on the slides that get pulled a lot than those that mostly stay set? Or just add another element to make it slide easier?

Also, do any of these have a strong odor?

Anhydrous lanolin.

I've recently been trying out ultrapure slide grease. So far, I'm very impressed.

JHardisk wrote:Laugh as you may, but I use this:
http://baby.factoryoutletstore.com/deta ... 10020.html

Lasts forever, and works great!

That is anhydrous lanolin with some vitamins in it. You pay $13.00 for 2 oz. The last time I bought lanolin a few months ago, I went to the pharmacy at Target and was able to order 1 lb for about $24.00. I don't use lanolin all the time, and 1 lb will last forever...

I like Hetman's slide gels. I like slide gel #7 for slides that don't move very often and I use slide gel light 6.5 for slides that get pulled all the time. If I need the slides to operate a tad faster I add a bit of valve oil to cut the grease.

When I purchased my Kanstul 66T, Lee Stofle recommended Hetman Tuning Slide Grease No. 8. That has worked good for me.

STP oil treatment ..... and I'm not kidding. It only takes a really tiny amount to lube the slides and never dries out,never gets in the horn to screw things up and will work on even the tightest slides to make them work.5 years ago I bought a 15oz bottle and put 4 oz of it in old eye dropper bottle. I use the eye dropper bottle to apply it to my slides. I still have most of what I poured into the eye dropper bottle. The rest was poured in to my work van engine a long time ago.

UncleBeer wrote:Anhydrous lanolin.

+1

I'm a repair tech, and I have used this for years. I take the slide, and run both tubes over my torch flame, slightly heating them, them I have a small brush (acid brush, intended to be used for applying flux) that has the lanolin on, that I "brush" onto the tubes. It melts and thins out slightly, making in my opinion, the best feeling slide action there is. This is what I use on slides that don't move alot, such as the main tuning slide. I use this on literally hundreds of brass horns. The company I work for has a large rental fleet, and have NEVER had to a stuck slide on one of the rental horns when they come back through the shop.

I agree with using Lanolin. Wipe down the slide and remove as much of the old grease that you can, and let the new lanolin warm up on your fingertips- you can feel it 'flow' better and it will spread/cover easier. I also like that it's natural and not loaded with synthetic who-knows-what. If you pull the 1st valve slide alot while playing, it may not be quick enough, but is great for the rest of them.

I've tried anhydrous lanolin, but it is too thick and moves WAY too slowly. Maybe I've gotten bad samples. I JUST bought some of that 'super lube' that Dan Schultz suggested. Stay tuned on that one....

thebrassbench wrote:

UncleBeer wrote:Anhydrous lanolin.

+1

I'm a repair tech, and I have used this for years. I take the slide, and run both tubes over my torch flame, slightly heating them, them I have a small brush (acid brush, intended to be used for applying flux) that has the lanolin on, that I "brush" onto the tubes. It melts and thins out slightly, making in my opinion, the best feeling slide action there is. This is what I use on slides that don't move alot, such as the main tuning slide. I use this on literally hundreds of brass horns. The company I work for has a large rental fleet, and have NEVER had to a stuck slide on one of the rental horns when they come back through the shop.

OTOH ...