line and sinker

[vboucek]

Hello everyone.

I am a newbie here and in the process of acquiring a compensated instrument. I would like to know your opinion about a procedure I am contemplating to perform to clean compensating loops (inside tubing) of the instrument. So far I have been using this 'method' with success on my vintage instruments (trumpets and cornets) when cleaning parts of tubing where cleaning snake does not fit into.

This is what I do: After a complete flush of my trumpet, I pass through the tubing of the instrument a fishing line with a small lead sinker attached to one side and a cotton cloth patch attached to the other end of the fishing line to completely dry and then oil the inner surfaces of sharp bends and valves interconnecting tubing. I have attached a text file with the description of this procedure (in case my explanation is not comprehensible).

Is this something you would consider safe to do and beneficial to the instrument as a part of once a year thorough cleanup of a compensated instrument such as baritone or euphonium? Please let me know.

Vlad

[RickF]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Not sure how well your method would work for cleaning a larger instrument like a compensating euph would be. The compensating loop on the second valve would be missed for sure since the slide is non removable. Id also be concerned about the fishing line breaking and something getting stuck.

Read this thread (with pictures) on how some of us clean out horns:

Double-Cleaning My Horn:

[vboucek]

Mr. Floyd, Thank you for your reply. I did find a lot of valuable information by following the link you had sent me. Thanks again.