Re: The 5% solution...


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Posted by David on November 04, 2001 at 12:48:40:

In Reply to: The 5% solution... posted by jlb on November 02, 2001 at 10:08:43:

As a repairman, I have used acetic acid reduced with water (same acid as in vinegar) to clean instruments for many years. It is non-toxic, and does a good job of cleaning out the lime and calcium deposits. It takes a scrub brush and soap and water to get the real gunk out of any horn. Just be sure to rinse the instrument out well with water after the cleaning.

We do not use citric acid as it is very caustic. It too is non-toxic, but a more agressive acid. If you choose to use citric, do not leave it very long. It will remove more than you want in the way of metal.

Neither acid leaves an after taste - who sucks air in that way anyhow?

Be sure to get the horn dry inside and out. Use a good quality slide grease (and not vaseline) on the slides and valve threads, and use a good valve oil (pistons) or key oil (rotors) when re-assembling. You will have a good clean horn for a fraction of the cost of taking it to a professional repair person. (I really recommend this type cleaning be done at a shop and confine individual cleaning to running water only through every month or two. If you have a piston horn, use a silk tenor sax swab to clean out the leadpipe at least once a month.


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