Blue Juice Update

[davewerden]

I continue to have good success with my new regime of cleaning/oiling. But in the last few weeks my 3rd valve has been a little off. It doesn't stick while playing, but I noticed that it does not spring out as far as 1&2 do when I loosen the caps in a horizontal position.

So just for fun I want back to Blue Juice the last couple days. When I went through the regime after playing, I got this:



This is hardly scientific, but there IS something about Blue Juice that feels smoother. I had concerns about build up of... whatever... from using Blue Juice. But now that I clean the valves with alcohol every day, perhaps that is not a worry. I think I'll keep using it for a while.

(The horn has not been cleaned at the shop or outside with my hose since January, but there is no gunk visible anywhere. Nevertheless, I think I should consider having a professional cleaning every 6 months, just to make sure nothing is lurking in the darn recesses.)

[John Morgan]

I have been with Blue Juice now for a few years and I think I will stay with it. I don't seem to get too much gunk buildup. And it doesn't smell like jet fuel to me anymore. Maybe they changed the formula. I have bought multiple bottles over the years.

[RickF]

I too have been using Blue Juice for quite some time now. It works well and helps keep the valves clean.

[iMav]

I’ve been using these products exclusively for the better part of a year now.
https://houghtonhorns.com/products/m...idt-lubricants

I specifically have avoided Blue Juice as I worried about build up (as seems to be the general narrative regarding the product).

[davewerden]

I’ve been using these products exclusively for the better part of a year now.
https://houghtonhorns.com/products/m...idt-lubricants

I specifically have avoided Blue Juice as I worried about build up (as seems to be the general narrative regarding the product).

That's great stuff! I MAY make that the next step in my long-term experiment. The slime build up is no longer an issue with my new cleaning routines, and that particular synthetic was quite slippery.

[RickF]

I have tried numerous brands of valve oil over the past many years. For me synthetic oils didn't work well. The Yamaha synthetic oil worked better than other brands, but still had some buildup. Maybe something to do with my body chemistry. After reading a quote supposedly by Matt Walters at Dillon's saying, "Try Blue Juice, you'll thank me later", meaning it works and helps keep your valves clean, I tried it out (see this post from 2014). The only thing I didn't like about BJ was its bottle was a bit bulky in my pocket. So I emptied a few Yamaha synthetic bottles and refilled them with Blue Juice and labeled them with a 'BJ' on the bottle. Like John said, there seems to be no more odor with Blue Juice. I noticed that a few years ago.

[carbogast]

I've been using Blue Juice for many years now. Every once in a while I'll try another oil, but I always come back to Blue Juice. My valves stay clean, and the horn stays pretty clean too. I also use Herco Spit Balls regularly and I think the combination has worked well for me and my horn.

[Brass is Class]

I have had good success with Blue Juice for several years in my trumpet, euph, tuba, the rotary valves on my French horn, and even for my trombone. Makes my life simple, one bottle for everything!

[Snorlax]

Does the Meinlschmidt oil play well with oils like Blue Juice, or is it necessary to clean all the BJ out of a horn before switching?
I assume the correct oil for a new horn like my Q41 would be #1, yes?

I tried Hetman's years ago; after a week or so my valves had collected enough green slime to populate 75 horror B-movies.

[davewerden]

Does the Meinlschmidt oil play well with oils like Blue Juice, or is it necessary to clean all the BJ out of a horn before switching?
I assume the correct oil for a new horn like my Q41 would be #1, yes?

I tried Hetman's years ago; after a week or so my valves had collected enough green slime to populate 75 horror B-movies.

I just switched without a whole-horn cleanout. I just did my normal daily routine (BlowDry system, alcohol rinse on the pistons, wiping, and oiling). I added a couple runs of Spitballs as a precaution. The initial switch was painless, but I think several days of my normal routine will be needed to really know.

I'm using the #1, and it is the thinnest oil I have ever tried. That is partly what makes me believe that they did indeed create something different than Hetman. I like really fast valves, so the #1 is in my comfort zone. But based on recent posts, I assume it will evaporate/disappear enough to make daily oiling necessary. I'm already doing that for general cleanliness reasons, so it makes no difference in my routine.

In my own experience, I have proven beyond a doubt that I'm able to produce the yellow/green deposits with ANY oil. It is no worse with Meinlschmidt than with Blue Juice or Al Cass.

It IS helpful for me to wipe out the bottom caps every week or two. Not much shows up in the 4th, but 123 are about equally blessed with opaque fluid (which would turn to sludge if left unattended, I assume).

The whole system is interesting. My BlowDry routine has kept the tubing very clean for nearly a year now. Yet the bottom caps are able to trap some of the fluid and protect it from intrusion because they are not part of the air path. BTW, I find I need to clean the tuning slide every month or two, since neither the BlowDry or Spitball systems go through it. BTW2, part of my daily routine is to run a little alcohol into the MTS and swish it around over the water key port. The Amado type opening is easier to clog, and this keeps it nice and clear. I don't need to do the same for the valve slides - they work fine for a month or two and then I rinse them the same way.