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Old nickel plating cloudiness

Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2018-07-20 03:42
Attachment: IMG_5502.JPG (1374k)

This is something I've noticed fixing clarinets from various eras. Whenever I polish newer nickel plated keys the always come out with a mirror like finish. But whenever I polish the nickel plated keys of a 50+ year old instrument they often have a slight cloudiness only visible under bright light, no matter how much I polish. I normally use a liquid polish like Maas or Mothers polish, I've tried rouge polish but that doesn't seem to work either. Does anyone have any success getting a mirror like finish out of old nickel keywork with some other method?

-Jdbassplayer

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Re: Old nickel plating cloudiness

Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-07-20 04:52

I buff them using a felt buff on a Dremel with a very fine paste polish. Brings up a very good finish.

Tony F.

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Re: Old nickel plating cloudiness

Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-07-21 01:03

Machine polishing usually does the trick, but on some clarinets the nickel plate Is really thin and can wear through.

Some Leblancs have ridiculously thick nickel plate which makes key fitting or alterations a pain when trying to file through it, but not all as others it may be really thin.

If it's a clarinet in for a routine service and all the pads are good, then I won't polish nickel plate as that both creates friction and mess, as well as the risk of damaging the pads if caught by the polishing mop. But on full overhauls where all pads and key corks have been removed, polishing nickel plated keys is much easier.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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Re: Old nickel plating cloudiness

Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2018-07-21 23:42

Thanks for your advice Tony and Chris! I ended up getting a Dremel and was able to polish all of the cloudiness out of my old basset horn. I did get polish on a few pads and corks like Chris said but I replaced them (fortunately I bought some extra pads when I overhauled the instrument a few years ago). Probably not the best idea but it came out well in the end. This will definitely be very useful for future overhauls.

-Jdbassplayer

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