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Thread: Slide Grease

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Oklahoma City
    Posts
    263

    Slide Grease

    I have been using Schilke for the past 3 years, but then I switched to Selmar slide grease. It works to an okay standard, where I have to constantly unstick the slide (the slide would get sticky to the non-moving part). I like the bottled stuff better, so what are my choices for a better grease?
    Marco Santos - Marcher and Performer
    Guardians Drum & Bugle Corps 2015
    Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps 2016, 20i7, 2018

    Adams E1
    Modified Schilke 52E2 by Justin Gorodetzky

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    I've had good success with Hetman's slide grease. Slide grease no. 7 works the best for me. It doesn't interfere with any type valve oil you use.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  3. I prefer Hetman's as well.
    Willson 2960TA
    Denis Wick Heritage 4AL

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    El Paso, Texas
    Posts
    383
    I personally like hetmans stuff as well as the bach(selmer) grease, but I have had a unique issue that seems to be happenings only to me with my Adams horn, while others using the same horn, grease, and oils do not have an issue. I have a problem where my slide grease will liquify after I apply new oil onto the piston valves. this has happened with le-blanc grease, hetman 7+, as well as bach(selmer) grease, and each time the same result. I am going to try and clean my horn and try another kind called zaja? Anyone heard of it or used it before. I also have hetman 10 I believe it is also called hetman Musical Instrument Grease(MIG) I may try that. My Besson doesn't have this problem and I have used hetman and like it.
    Adams E1 SS, Gold Brass Body .6mm DE Euph N103 Jcup, J9 shank
    Meinl Weston 2141 Eb Tuba PT 84

  5. I've used Superslick in the past and it doesn't seem to last all that long. Maybe I'll give Hetman's #7 a try!
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  6. #6
    While I use the Selmer slide grease on my euphoniums-- including my new Mack Brass-- on my large bore trombone it seems too stiff so I use Bag Balm.

    For those of you in urban areas, Bag Balm comes from Vermont was originally designed to be used by farmers on their cow teats and udders-- it used to say for veterinary use only. However, a women here in Iowa who had a talk show for farmers' wives began to tout its healing properties on her show for hands, etc. and sales took off. I use it on my chin when the Iowa winters and shaving take their toll. It's available here in the Midwest in most smaller communities and I assume elsewhere as well. It comes in a green square can. It's composition is petroleum jelly, lanolin and a bit of antiseptic. It works very well on tuning slides that are a little stiffer and it's inexpensive unless you buy the tiny little can-- the one that's about an inch square. The antiseptic might help kill crud that could grow on your tuning slide as well.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Jrpetty24 View Post
    I personally like hetmans stuff as well as the bach(selmer) grease, but I have had a unique issue that seems to be happenings only to me with my Adams horn, while others using the same horn, grease, and oils do not have an issue. I have a problem where my slide grease will liquify after I apply new oil onto the piston valves. this has happened with le-blanc grease, hetman 7+, as well as bach(selmer) grease, and each time the same result. I am going to try and clean my horn and try another kind called zaja? Anyone heard of it or used it before. I also have hetman 10 I believe it is also called hetman Musical Instrument Grease(MIG) I may try that. My Besson doesn't have this problem and I have used hetman and like it.
    I've had this happen on my Sterling as well. I use Blue Juice and Hetman #7.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Oklahoma City
    Posts
    263
    I have found great success using Hetman 5 and 7, 5 for my marching horn because it spends most of the time with slides oriented horizontally, and the 1st slide having a thumb ring for tuning while moving. It also goes on my trombone's tuning slide.
    I use 7 for my concert horn
    And I greased about 2 months ago and have used it every day, and yet the slides still move quite freely and I'm very pleased.
    I also use blue juice oil and find the combination not conflicting at all.
    Just a side note, the super slick trombone suff Tampaworth mentioned is quite good for trombone, their special solution works quite well

  9. #9
    A naive question perhaps but sincere on my part. I've never used anything but regular old Vaseline petroleum jelly. Is there a reason that this isn't a good idea? It does the job: the slides move freely in and out. Who could ask for more? Seriously, is there something that these other products do that I'm missing out on?
    Last edited by SteveP; 11-11-2014 at 07:24 PM.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveP View Post
    A naive question perhaps but sincere on my part. I've never used anything but regular old Vaseline petroleum jelly. Is there a reason that this isn't a good idea? It does the job: the slides move freely in and out. Who could ask for more? Seriously, is there something that these other products do that I'm missing out on?
    Nothing wrong with that. But I find that "real" slide grease is a little thicker, or at least gives smoother action and lasts better.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
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