 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Late_returner
Date: 2021-06-15 13:34
Hi
I have a Selmer Bundy Bass which plays fine. I am pleased with it.
But the key work is quite dull with patches on most of the touch pieces due I guess to oxidisation and finger sweat over the years. No real damage.
Is there a recommended product(s) to buy or make up that can clean / polish/ improve the nickel without risking damage.?
Thanks
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-06-15 15:29
Tarnished or dull nickel plate can be polished with chrome polish and plenty of elbow grease, but only do that with the keys off and cleaning up all traces of polish on and inside the keys afterwards.
If it's a light bloom on the surface that can easily be rubbed off, then that can be buffed by hand with an old T-shirt or silver polishing cloth.
The best way to polish very stubborn tarnished nickel plate is to machine polish it, but that runs the risk of damaging the pads and key corks as well as generates a lot of friction which can melt the hot glue or shellac used to glue the pads in.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-06-15 17:03
i have found its a waist of time to polish these keys as they quickly return to their dull state
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2021-06-15 17:10
super20dan,
Do you have an old case? If so that’s what’s causing the problem, get a new case and the keys will stay shiny for months or years with only a light wiping after each time using the instrument. Nickel plating shouldn’t tarnish that fast.
Late Returner,
When you say there are patches do you mean dull grey spots that have a rough texture? If so those are spots of plating wear. You can smooth those down by buffing with polish but in order to truly fix the problem you will need to have the keys replated.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2021-06-15 20:38
The plating wore off the touchpieces on my old Vito, so I just covered them with adhesive aluminum tape. Crude, maybe, but it can only be noted on close inspection.
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Author: Burt
Date: 2021-06-17 01:33
The plating on my ebonite clarinet wore off in places where I touched the keys a lot, showing copper and green copper compounds. After cleaning as well as possible, I used sliver paint, then clear nail polish, to prevent further corrosion. No, it doesn't look good. But it stopped the corrosion.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-06-17 05:05
my newest clarinet in my stable of at least a dozen is an 1984 model. i am past the point of looks of the keywork -lol.
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