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Just bought a raw brass tuba. Will it always make my hands smell?

Hi-
Practice naked with your raw brass tuba, and then it won't just be your hand that smells bad.....
Mark

Most of my tubas are raw brass. Wipe the horn down with furniture polish or apply car wax to slow down the patina.

How long have you had it? My guess is 1) it's always going to leave a little residue on your hands, but 2) it will taper off a lot with regular playing. But chemistry varies from one person to the next, some people are going to react with the brass more than others. As I understand it, the smell is a carbonyl or something that's created from your sweat in a reaction catalyzed by the brass.

I use a $1 bandana to hold the tuba when I play. Less damage to the tuba and my left hand does not green. I have been playing a raw brass tuba since 1975.

Mark

The Sousaphone I used in college was mostly raw brass. It never discolored my clothes or made my hands smell, but when I would sweat, my right arm would break out in a rash. Easily solved by a bandanna, and only mildly annoying.

Stryk wrote:Great thing about raw brass is there is nothing on the finish to wear through or delaminate. Want it refinished? Either a can of Brasso or, if you are like me and like the brushed look, rub it with a Scotchbrite pad. Like Dan said, use some Pledge or car wax on it and your hands wont stink - at least not from the tuba!

I would honestly stay away from Brasso.......that stuff is very strong and, over time, not good for brass. There are other brass/silver polishes that do a good job and are safer/milder to use.

I have the same issue with raw brass.......makes my hands smell of brass. I've used wax polish on raw brass and it didn't help much. Plus, I'm not crazy about the "ugly" look of raw brass. Much prefer silverplate or lacquer.

tooba wrote:I would honestly stay away from Brasso.......that stuff is very strong and, over time, not good for brass. There are other brass/silver polishes that do a good job and are safer/milder to use.

Which ones are better?

bort wrote:

tooba wrote:I would honestly stay away from Brasso.......that stuff is very strong and, over time, not good for brass. There are other brass/silver polishes that do a good job and are safer/milder to use.

Which ones are better?

-Wright's Silver Cream (you can mix it with Dawn or Ajax or whatever detergent, if you like, or just use it as-is).

-Medallion Silver Polish (on silverplated instruments only)

-Tarn-X (it stinks though -smells like rotten eggs)

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I've yet to use Hagerty's, but some seem to like it a lot.

Brasso is stronger than the above, but the ammonia in it freaks me out. Read up on what ammonia does to brass over time

KiltieTuba wrote:Is the raw brass tuba in BBb or CC?

Was it formerly laqcuer or silver?

bort wrote:

tooba wrote:I would honestly stay away from Brasso.......that stuff is very strong and, over time, not good for brass. There are other brass/silver polishes that do a good job and are safer/milder to use.

Which ones are better?

I do not like Brasso because it leaves behind a residue that really makes things it comes into contact with black.

There is one metal polish out there that I prefer above all others... it's a German product called 'Simichrome'. The Harley-Davidson guys love it and I've usually been able to find it at motorcycle shops. A small tube is around $10 but goes a long ways. I think it's probably available on-line, too.

Another good one is called 'Wenol'. It also comes in a small tube.

Both are said to be non-abrasive.