How do I make hand guards?

[ChristianeSparkle]

I used cotton flannel as base for my hand strap and did not have any issues with damage or tarnish to the silver. But I do take it out at least once every week to wipe down.

Is there a particular reason you want a guard? I understand wanting to protect your horn but even with a guard, you should be taking the guard out on and off to wipe it down. With that in mind, I hardly see a reason to have a guard on . Just gotta gently wipe down the horn after each practice and then use a wet cloth every so often, as per Mr. Werden's suggestions. Unless of course your sweat is very corrosive or something.

[davewerden]

I should probably mention that a bell guard such as the one I used will change the sound of your horn a bit. On my Besson and Sterling I liked the change; it mellowed the sound somewhat, which seemed to fit both those horns well. You might also notice a change in how the horn responds, but with the heavy-weight bell on both those horns I didn't notice a difference in response. It's very minor, so if there is a compelling reason to use a guard, I would not worry about it.

[ghmerrill]

I've made my own (tuba and euph) guards out of leather -- which is great, but tends to be a bit expensive even if you can get to a Tandy store (or something similar) and buy random pieces of "remaindered" leather.

But I've also had a lot of success with the plastic shelf liner that you can get at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. (the smooth, fairly thick but flexible stuff). I use that in a couple of places on my bass trombone and on one of my tubas as well. An advantage is that it glues easily (so you don't have to lace it). Once you make a pattern for the piece(s) you need, then it's easy to put the guards on by gluing it to itself with super glue (be careful not to get it on the horn!), and then just cut them off and make/attach new ones when you want to. Or you can glue Velcro strips to it if you want to be able to take it on and off. Avoiding lacing is a good idea if you can, at least in anything other than leather, since the lacing will eventually distort or tear through the holes in most materials.

[Liam B]

It's a complicated issue. I'll try to consult with a chemist I know this week, he should give me an answer to which material is best suited. As soon as there's more information, I'll supplement that message.