 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2008-06-26 21:35
I've had my R-13 for a little over 3 years and it is losing its brilliant finish. Is there any way to restore it (other than having it redone)? I've tried polishing cloths but they don't do too much. Is there any way to slow down the tarnishing process?
I know many people have had their fine, professional horns for many many years. What do you do about things like this?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Phil Pedler
Date: 2008-06-26 22:33
I've been having good success using Turtle Wax rubbing compound, available anywhere car supplies are sold. Then I use a soft cotton cloth or shop rag.
You might also try a silver tarnish remover.
I will be interested to know what other use. And what do people use when there are light, cloudy deposits on the keys (perhaps light corrosion) from long contact with a case in damp conditions?
Phil
Phil Pedler
clarinetpages.wetpaint.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-06-26 22:42
Nickel does tend to turn grey and can only be polished up by machine polishing (or a lot of hours, plenty of elbow grease and a tin of Duraglit, though that's not advisable while the pads and corks are still in place).
Years back I overhauled an old nickel plated Adler (Markneukirchen) soprano sax (this one had the alternative low C#, B and Bb touches running over the top for RH finger 2), and someone had previously stuck masking tape on the body at the lower end below the thumb hook.
When I took the tape off, the tarnish came off with it leaving bright strips in comparison to the rest of the plating which was dull grey. So I stuck a fresh piece of masking tape on a tarnished part, left it for about a day and it too removed the tarnish. So something in the masking tape glue did a good job of restoring tarnished nickel into shiny nickel.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-06-27 11:24
Some nickel plating goes for many years and stays bright. Sometimes it quickly goes dull, off-white, and even rough.
This is likely to be cause by some vapour, and quite likely from a glue or other material use to make the case.
I put freshly nickel plated wire puzzles in a freshly poyurethaned (varnished) wooden box, and overnight they acquired severe tarnish.
Several instrument makers have had similar but milder problems.
Silver polish will not touch nickel tarnish. Use something formulated for stainless steel or chrome. Don't get it on pads or other non-metal materials, nor in the pivots. (Not so easy unless you are doing a repad/overhaul.)
At lest nickel tarnish is better than the severe pitting that some nickel plating gets.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marshall
Date: 2008-07-06 06:04
I personally like the look of tarnishing nickel keys...even better when portions of the nickel have come off and the copper beneath is showing. It's one reason why I sometimes wish I had a set of nickel-keyed instruments. If you walk down a hallway at a major music school, almost anyone with nickel keys has copper showing on the Ab and A keys (unless they're newer instruments), along with the inside of the rings and a couple of the pinky keys. IMO, the tarnish and the showing copper give it a look of hard work and professionalism. But to each his/her own I suppose.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pdkbach
Date: 2008-07-07 03:13
I recommend the following items to keep clarinet keys shiny and looking their best:
1. Sunshine Polishing Cloth. The best polishing cloth that I have come
across. I have tried many! sunshinepolishingcloth.com
2. Doctor's Products Woodwind Wax. Available at Omar Henderson's
website www.doctorsprod.com
3. Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish. Excellent product, similar
to the doctors wax. Will not harm other surfaces on the clarinet,
... no even the pads. Great polish and wax for the wood, too.
www.restorationproduct.com
4. Doctor's Products Gleam Anti-Tarnish Sachet. Keep one of these in
the case. Lasts about a year. Similar to 3M tarnish strips which are
available at most hardware stores, but the sachets work much
better.
I also recommend wiping the keys off after every practice/play session with a damp cloth or paper towel and buff and dry completely with a micro fiber cloth. It takes a little effort, but does make a difference.
Post Edited (2008-07-07 03:19)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
