Cleaning Slides?

[Aaron Tindall]

What does everyone use to get the gunk and corosion off of their tuning slides? I have used BrassO, but would like some other suggestions to get that nice brassy look to them.

Thanks!

[sungfw]

For cleaning and maintaining the appearance of slides, I use Nevr-Dull

I find it less abrasive than Brasso, and unlike Brasso, it's non-toxic and can be used on silver and gold, as well as brass, so it can be used to polish a silverplated horn, gold trim, and on mpcs as well. I carry a 35mm film canister with a wad of it in my case for the occasional quick touch-up.

[bill]

This will sound slightly bizarre but I have been using Pinaud mustache wax on slides for years. Many years ago, when Drug Emporium went bankrupt and closed all their stores, I was able to buy the entire stock of one store's Pinaud mustache wax for $5. This was two or three shopping bags full and amounted to about 200 tubes of it. Its two main ingredients are water and Paraffin Stearyl with Beeswax and Cellulose Gum. There are other things in it for cosmetic purposes (color, scent, etc.). It works very well if spread thinly and worked evenly along the slides. If I want to thin it slightly, I use a drop or two of Marvel Air Tool Oil. Before finding this stuff, I regularly used a trailer hitch ball lube I got at Wal-Mart. It worked almost as well but did not last so long.

To clean the slides, I use vinegar and a very soft cloth to take away the verdigris. I also will use very, very fine steel wool to polish where the "gunge" is stubborn but you need to be very careful with that and be careful to not take any brass off.

Several of the previous posters have alluded to cleaning and wiping the slides well before lubing them and they have mentioned doing this often. Regardless of what you use for lube, frequent cleaning is essential.

[WakinAZ]

I just wipe mine down very well with a not-so-soft cleaning rag (like those red mechanic's rags they sell at the auto parts store) each time before I relube them. I am a picky guy and a bit of a neat freak, but I have never thought of polishing the inner slides of my horn. It's your free time I guess.

Eric "who owns lacquer horns for a reason" L.

[Aaron Tindall]

Has anyone ever heard of using paint thinner on a cloth to clean the corosion and gunk on the slides, and inside the pipes on the horn as well? Too toxic?

[ASTuba]

Aaron,

That's a bit too toxic, but will work. If you really want to do that, you have to make sure you scrub the he$$ out of it afterward with soap and water.

[TubaSailor]

I've use naptha on a micro-fiber cloth to clean off old slide grease and accumulated grime - it worked quite well, but I've been warned to not get it on the lacquered surfaces - It dissipates quicker and leaves less residue that paint thinner, but is probably just as toxic. Use at your own risk - well ventilated, no ignition sources, etc.