Which valve oil do you use?

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tofu
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by tofu »

TheGoyWonder wrote:Lamp oil with adulterants: sewing machine oil, mineral oil, STP.
Regardless of adulterant, you get white film buildup within a month especially on the holes in pistons.
Been using it for years on nine different horns - everything from brand new to ancient and never ever experienced this. Of all the valve oils I've used over the years ultra-pure lamp oil has been the cleanest with no residual build ups. Love the stuff as it allows customizing the oil to the horn - my preferred additive is various weights of Mobil 1. I've never experienced sticking or valves hanging up on either piston or rotary valved horns using the ultra-pure lamp oil.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Travis99079 »

I use a Mack 410 and I use blue juice, because that's what Tom told me to do. :tuba:

I fill most of my old needle-tip hetman bottles with it so it's easier to use.
Last edited by Travis99079 on Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PaulMaybery
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by PaulMaybery »

Petroleum or synthetic: Boutique or Lamp oil. I get build up with them all. At first I thought it was synthetics, but is has been just about the same with everything. I'm almost sure it has a lot to do with the bacteria that comes into play.
But when you use several horns, keeping them maintained and lubed ain't cheap. So the lamp oil route is attractive. Adding a thicker oil to it works depending on the tolerance.

I've gone to using lanolin or Bag Balm for tuning slide lubrication. Slides that I need to pull get a drop or so of regular oil.

Rotaries,I use sewing machine or 3 & 1 oil. Works fine.

It needs to be wet, slippery and adjusted to the right viscosity.

A note on lanolin. If you live in the artic north like Minnesota, in the winter I cut the lanolin with vaseline. Otherwise the cold can turn the lanolin almost solid. No problem when the horn warms up.
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TWScott283
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by TWScott283 »

I am a fan of Alisyn. It lasts forever. It comes in a tiny little bottle, and I've never made it to the end of one before losing it. :)
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by oldbandnerd »

Al Cass Fast . Since 1978. Stick with what works.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by peterbas »

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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by acjcf2 »

Blue Juice before weekly band rehearsals and concerts. No gunk or discoloration. Made with pride in Greer, SC.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Three Valves »

PaulMaybery wrote:
I've gone to using lanolin or Bag Balm for tuning slide lubrication. Slides that I need to pull get a drop or so of regular oil.
That a great idea. One no longer has to avoid getting the "slide grease" on their hands!!
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Three Valves »

Travis99079 wrote: ....I use blue juice, because that's what Tom told me to do. :tuba:
Me too.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by timothy42b »

PaulMaybery wrote: A note on lanolin. If you live in the artic north like Minnesota, in the winter I cut the lanolin with vaseline. Otherwise the cold can turn the lanolin almost solid. No problem when the horn warms up.
I used lanolin for several decades because I got a free tube in the mail somehow.

This past year I found a bottle of STP in the shed and switched. One $3 bottle is probably a lifetime supply for 100 players, and for me it works better than the lanolin.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by WagnerRing »

Hetman's Medium Rotor and Piston valve oils. Great stuff.
Last edited by WagnerRing on Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by crbarnes »

Matt Walters at Dillon turned me onto Fat Cat when Bell’s disappeared. With my pistons Om my 1291 I find that Hetman’s Builds up a black residue rather quickly. Fat Cat doesn’t and lasts well in hot weather. As Matt said, “it’s very slippery.”
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by aqualung »

The BEST valve oil is whatever you can kipe out of your buddy's case, while he is looking the other way.
Mark

Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Mark »

aqualung wrote:The BEST valve oil is whatever you can kipe out of your buddy's case, while he is looking the other way.
Are the best mouthpieces the one you steal from your friends?
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Eflatdoubler »

I must admit I was in the camp of using synthetics. I have tried Hetman, Ultra Pure, Fat Cat, La Tromba T2 and T3, Allison, Al Cass, and recently I tried the Ultra Pure Lamp Oil, and was shocking surprised at how good it is. I still have stock of the above mentioned oils, but will probably stick with the lamp oil afterwards as it does what it is supposed to do and is very affordable. The fact that I like to camp has it fulfilling multi uses too :)
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Eflatdoubler »

I must admit I was in the camp of using synthetics. I have tried Hetman, Ultra Pure, Fat Cat, La Tromba T2 and T3, Allison, Al Cass, and recently I tried the Ultra Pure Lamp Oil, and was shocking surprised at how good it is. I still have stock of the above mentioned oils, but will probably stick with the lamp oil afterwards as it does what it is supposed to do and is very affordable. The fact that I like to camp has it fulfilling multi uses too :)
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Re: Which valve oil do you use?

Post by Three Valves »

Mark wrote:
aqualung wrote:The BEST valve oil is whatever you can kipe out of your buddy's case, while he is looking the other way.
Are the best mouthpieces the one you steal from your friends?
I can't vouch for the results, but the price is right!!

:tuba:
I am committed to the advancement of civil rights, minus the Marxist intimidation and thuggery of BLM.
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