1st and 2nd valve 'sticking'

[Brian]

I've had my horn six weeks and all of a sudden when playing lets say a descending eigth-note scale the first and second valve seem slow to pop back up. They all go up and done just fine when I just work the valves NOT playing but its like there is suction (don't laugh) slowing them down when I play. They are clean and well oiled and the horn is warmed up. Me too.

p.s. I read the posts below AFTER I wrote this (sorry). I'm using Blue Juice because I don't know of a better kind of oil.

[pam]

1) Check that the vent holes (top and bottom) in the valve pistons aren't blocked.

2) If you're using a water catcher/grime gutter, check that the wadding isn't blocking the ports in the bottom valve caps.

3) check the valve guides and valve guide slots for burrs.

4a) If your Schiller uses the Yamaha-style valve guides (plastic or plastic over metal tab) valve guides that are held in place by the valve stem:

i) check that the guides are properly seated (there is a little plastic "nipple" on the bottom that fits into a hole in the top the valve piston). If the stem is loose, the guide can shift out into the guide slot, causing the guide to bottom out and the valve to stick about half way down. Yammys and Yammy stencils that use this style valve guide are notorious for this. Loosen the stem, reseat the guide, push the guide toward the stem as far as possible, then re-tighten the stem.

ii) if the guides are plastic-over-metal-tab, check the width and length of the metal tab: it should be slightly NARROWER and SHORTER than the plastic guide. If the tab is too wide or too long, the metal can hang up on the side of the guide groove if you're pushing the valves down slightly off-center.

4b) If your Schiller uses the pre-Buffett-Crampon Besson "floating" valve guides, check that the guides aren't riding up the valve stem. They should be seated firmly against the top of the pistons.