How to Polish and Shine a HUGE Silver-Plated Tuba

[Dylan King]

Here's a quick and easy way to shine all of your silver instruments...

https://youtu.be/ZBb3GHJ641k

Enjoy.

[TUbajohn20J]

Thanks for that. Gotta try this method. That silver cream you have to use with water is really a hastle sometimes and its like you are just spreading the black junk around your horn if you don't do it right.

[Dylan King]

It works well, even on heavy tarnish, but you may have to reapply.

[bort]

For anyone else as impatient as me, here's the 2-second version:

Use the spray-on version of Hagerty's silver polish.

Question -- is there any sort of non-toxic way of doing this? I'm not concerned about myself, but whatever I use needs to be safe for my dog and my kid.

[ghmerrill]

This is pretty much what about 99% of the euphonium crowd does. It's what I do on my old Buescher. Among about four or five other methods I've tried, it's vastly superior in every way.

As for very heavily tarnished stuff (like, um, a 1924 tuba that hasn't been cleaned in about 80 years?) I have used Tarn-X first (a couple of times), and then the Haggerty's from then on. Tarn-X is a pain and unpleasant to use. But it sure does take off heavy tarnish. It may also get into some pitting and small areas that the Haggerty's has trouble with.

In between polishing with Haggerty's (which I only do maybe once or twice a year), I touch it up with a silver polishing (flute) cloth.

In terms of avoiding any toxicity: do it outdoors and don't have your children hold the tuba while you're spraying it. Use a stand.

When I run out of my spray can of Haggerty's (if that happens before I die), I think I'll replace it with cream. I don't like the spray thing all that much.

[hup_d_dup]

How do you keep the spray off the felt washers (or do you just spray on the felts)?

Hup

[bort]

In terms of avoiding any toxicity: do it outdoors and don't have your children hold the tuba while you're spraying it. Use a stand.

Thanks, but still not totally convinced -- I have a patio, with no grass. My dog is constantly with her nose to the ground, and my kid will be crawling around and playing out there too. If I spray a lot, I'm worried if a lot of overspray gets on the concrete. Would it was away easily?

I may as well just stick with the cream. I'm not going to do this very often, so saving time isn't really a gigantic concern, although the spray does look very convenient. Frankly, either way it sounds like a good Saturday project while the wife is out with the kid. Get a 6-pack and get to cleaning.

[Daniel C. Oberloh]

It really comes down to the quality of finish you are trying to achieve. In my shop, we aim to deliver a clean, bright and mirror clear appearance to our bright silver plated instrument, we achieve this thru the use of chemical bathes and solvents to remove dirt and grease. We also have chemicals that sort of revert the black tarnish to opaque white silver. The instrument is "ragged" with soft flannel and jewelers rouge (tallow, paraffin, etc. and iron oxide) to get in all the in betweens and behind the tight spots. The instrument is then gently "color buffed" with a large muslin flannel wheel, jewelers rouge and solvent. The entire instrument is then degreased, washed and dried before it is finally reassembled. No better method but not a DIY way to go about it, except when I clean and polish my own instrument .

D. C. Oberloh
Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works
http://www.oberloh.com

[ghmerrill]

I don't like the spray because of the overspray problem. I'm not too worried about toxicity, but it's messy. I don't think my grandchildren are likely to lap it up and I can't imagine the cat (which is the only domesticated creature left around here) is silly enough to lick it. I'm just not going to worry about the possum or the random coyote. With all the other stuff around here (machinery, tools, firearms, arrows, abrasives, a huge variety of chemicals, electrical outlets, cleaning materials, etc.) I've always found it less time-consuming and worrisome to teach the kids not to mess with these things (including, of course, my musical instruments and the piano unless they ask). I guess I wouldn't put a baby down in the stuff and let it crawl around and roll in it, but otherwise ...

[ghmerrill]

How do you keep the spray off the felt washers (or do you just spray on the felts)?

My felts don't seem to be exposed on any of my instruments. Well, there are the ones in the finger buttons, but those don't seem to be a problem. I guess if I had that problem, I'd maybe use masking tape? But again, this is another reason to use the cream version. While the aerosol is initially attractive, I think it's a bit more trouble than it's worth. It's really good only on pretty large surfaces (like a bell or one of the large bows). Otherwise, I prefer to work in smaller sections and a bit more deliberately.

[bort]

I guess I wouldn't put a baby down in the stuff and let it crawl around and roll in it, but otherwise ...

Quote of the day. Thanks for all of the other thoughts, too!

[vespa50sp]

When I used 3M Tarni-Shield, my sister-in-law wanted to know what I used so that she could use it on her silver. Plus there is something in the product that helps slow down the new tarnish. My favorite so far.

[Dylan King]

How do you keep the spray off the felt washers (or do you just spray on the felts)?

Hup

With Bloke's amazing synthetics, one doesn't have to worry too much about such things.

[Ace]

I must have been served something in my food at the restaurant this evening, but I have this silly zany frame of mind at the moment. Example, I'm wondering how does the Polish guy polish his Polish tuba? See what I mean? I can't wait to sleep this off. I feel so ashamed.

Ace

[Dylan King]

First he shines his Thein, then he polishes his Polish tuba while eating an all beef Polish of mine.

[bort]

I must have been served something in my food at the restaurant this evening, but I have this silly zany frame of mind at the moment. Example, I'm wondering how does the Polish guy polish his Polish tuba? See what I mean? I can't wait to sleep this off. I feel so ashamed.

Ace

To Polish your tuba, first apply the polish. Then Warsaw.

Get it? Warsaw? Wash it off? Eh... Eh...

(And you thought YOU were ashamed... )

[Ace]

I must have been served something in my food at the restaurant this evening, but I have this silly zany frame of mind at the moment. Example, I'm wondering how does the Polish guy polish his Polish tuba? See what I mean? I can't wait to sleep this off. I feel so ashamed.

Ace

To Polish your tuba, first apply the polish. Then Warsaw.

Get it? Warsaw? Wash it off? Eh... Eh...

(And you thought YOU were ashamed... )

Brett, are you sure you and Dylan didn't eat at the same restaurant as I? I hope we all recover from whatever was in the soup.

Ace

[TUbajohn20J]

I must have been served something in my food at the restaurant this evening, but I have this silly zany frame of mind at the moment. Example, I'm wondering how does the Polish guy polish his Polish tuba? See what I mean? I can't wait to sleep this off. I feel so ashamed.

Ace

To Polish your tuba, first apply the polish. Then Warsaw.

Get it? Warsaw? Wash it off? Eh... Eh...

(And you thought YOU were ashamed... )

Brett, are you sure you and Dylan didn't eat at the same restaurant as I? I hope we all recover from whatever was in the soup.

Ace

Oh my.

[Three Valves]

This Polish guy figured it all out in one word;

Lacquer!!

(Silver instruments are for Englishmen)