Got there with out my valve oil!

[Charlie C Chowder]

Stupid me. I found some cooking oil. Any problems to watch for? And what have you guys used in a pinch?

Charlie C. Chowder

[Donn]

If you know someone who cooks a lot and isn't obsessive about cleaning up, poke around in level areas above the stove top. Frying spreads very drops of vegetable oil onto nearby surfaces, so there should be some gummy areas. I guess the main difference here is that the sticky, hardening stuff will be mixed with the type of grime you find inside a tuba, instead of dust.

[roweenie]

Better to put water on valves then put something like that on them.

When in a pinch, I've used spit on more than one occasion.

[Art Hovey]

Why not just ask a trumpet player for a couple of drops?
Soapy water also works in a pinch, but you need to rinse it out after the gig.

[MaryAnn]

Surely a tuba player has access to beer to put in the valves when all else fails?

[windshieldbug]

Surely a tuba player has access to beer to put in the valves when all else fails?

Too valuable to waste on valves!