Valve oil

[massmanute]

I have been using Blue Juice, but I am almost out, so it is time to buy a new bottle of valve oil. What valve oil do you guys like best?

[RickF]

I’m still using Blue Juice and will stick with it. No complaints and it helps keep my valves cleaner.

[daruby]

I use Blue juice most of the time. Sometimes when I have washed the valves and casings, I start with one coat of either Wick or Hetman #1. They "stick" to the surface and last better than Blue Juice, but are not as smooth once things get all settled. I can go weeks using just Blue Juice. I will say that if plaque (calcium?) build up has started after a long time, or valves have dried out completely and started sticking to the casing, I will go back to the Hetman or Wick to get the valves back in shape.

[John Morgan]

I have tried everything out there 38 times or more. I am currently in the "Monster Oil" phase of my life, have been for maybe a year now, and I like it pretty good. I get the Doc's Juice version, which is a buck more, so it must be better, right? Made/sold by some current, I believe, trumpet players from the U. S. Coast Guard Band, Dave's old stomping grounds.

[carbogast]

I always come back to Blue Juice. It doesn't last as long as some, but I definitely see less gunk in the horn and valve oil is cheap!

[dsurkin]

I have been using Blue Juice, but I am almost out, so it is time to buy a new bottle of valve oil. What valve oil do you guys like best?

I've used Blue Juice, Hetman, and Yamaha. Now I'm using Resilience and I'm very pleased with it - very little gunk buildup and very long lasting. The drawback: not widely available and a little more expensive than some.
https://www.resilienceoils.com/

[uieuph]

At one time, I was a little concerned over possible ill effects of Blue Juice on one's health, so I asked Demondrae Thurman in a masterclass if he thought the stuff could give you cancer. He laughed and said no, so I'm still using it. Nothing else I've ever tried has worked as well.

[aroberts781]

Here's another vote for sticking with Blue Juice. I haven't experimented too much with other oils, but a few years ago I tried out Hetman for a while and I experienced more gunky buildup in my horn than I was happy with. I switched back to Blue Juice after that and haven't looked back. In fact two new bottles arrived at my doorstep just this week.

I will say that I started using Hetman tuning slide grease a couple years ago and for me that stuff is great. After cleaning my slides and putting Hetman slide grease on them they worked better than they ever have. I haven't experienced any gunk issues with using Blue Juice and Hetman slide grease.

[RickF]

I haven't experienced any gunk issues with using Blue Juice and Hetman slide grease.

Me neither! I’ve been using those two together for about 3 years with no issues.

[tonewheeler]

Blue Juice. It's reliable, consistent, and keeps the valves and casings clean.

[Magikarp]

Blue Juice. It's reliable, consistent, and keeps the valves and casings clean.

There’s a lot of love for the blue poison here. I still maintain it’s oil for people who don’t like cleaning their instruments. (I used to do a great deal of instrument cleaning and servicing, and the amount of residue left behind by habitual Blue Juice use was quite remarkable. In general they were instruments owned by bands and not an individual, so that may account for the for it). Even on my old hooters I found it too thick, and ended up with Al Cass. I’m currently using Yamaha synthetic which is great. I don’t get build up as the euph is washed internally every month.

I really liked Besson’s proprietary oil but that’s long since vanished, and as for Webster’s Ego lube, what an appalling product.

[RickF]

I remember reading (on another network) where Matt at Dillon Music said, “Use Blue Juice, you’ll thank me later”. When I take my horn in for its yearly service my tech always says that it’s pretty clean. I do clean out my horn every few months between yearly service.

[tbonesullivan]

I need to pick some up next time I am down there, or maybe I'll just order some.

[BrandonJones]

Five Starr. You're welcome.

[MarChant]

I always use La Tromba T1. Maybe not the cheapest, but the bottles last for a very long time.