Freeing stuck tuning slides

[PaulMaybery]

If you can find it, there is a product that can be used for modeling various shapes. One of my tech friends demonstrated it to me the other day.
It comes is pellet form and is mixed with water to form a "putty-like" clay. It then can be formed to fit in the inside of crook of the tuning slide. (I know this is hard to describe) Unlike epoxy putty, it does not stick to the metal of the slide. When it hardens you can tap on it with a heavy dowel or rawhide mallet to drive out the slide. The concept is that you are striking the surface of the hardened putty which is in total conformation with the slide. Hence no chance of denting or deforming the slide. The putty is water soluble and can be reformed.

If I can locate a link to the product I will add it at a later time. I should be available from instrument repair suppliers.

[robcat2075]

I had a slide on my Eb tuba that still was not moving even after much PB Blaster and thermal cracking. I made a jig out of pieces of plywood that distributed force across as many sturdy elements as possible and used a C-clamp on that to pull the slide. It's still tough to move but at least I now it CAN move.

[Kevin Hendrick]

Some of my high school band director acquaintances claim that their students' fathers like to use a hammer with either a 1 x 2 board or possible a screwdriver to bang the slide out. This method is also popular for remove stuck valves.

This is the method many repair shops suggest BEFORE sending the instrument in for repair.

Yeah.... I just LOVE those flattened places on the inside of slide crooks! Those are nearly impossible to fix.

I have seen some parents do some stupid things to instruments - most involving vice grips!

Maybe that's why they're not called "virtue grips"?