In addition to the many good comments already given, here are a couple of thoughts to consider.
1. Valves. It is unlikely that Knopf makes their own valve sections. If you have Ken Pope or another fine craftsman send measurements of the other good rotors to Christian Knopf as suggested, he will probably be able to figure out the supplier of the valve, procure a good replacement part locally and send it. (If you can find a serial number or other marking that will help to date the instrument, that will also improve the likelihood of getting a good part to fit.) Your craftsman will then have to fit the new part to your horn. This process would probably take weeks or months to unfold. Another alternative is to have Atkinson in Burbank CA make and fit a rotor for you. The advantage would be that there would be less time involved, because all of the required services are in one place. They advertise this service on their web site, but I have no direct experience with them or the quality of their work. 2. Internal corrosion. Once you have the horn chemically or ultrasonically cleaned, the most important thing you can do is to establish a consistent oil regime in the horn. The inside of the horn will oxidize if left unprotected. It's a slow process, but contact with water and your bodily emissions will speed up the process. Establishing an oil film over the inside surface will slow it down. (Part of the lore from Germany was that a horn should be flushed with beer to properly condition it before playing. A century ago more beer per capita was consumed than today, so more got into the horn on an ongoing basis.) 1) Oil bearings and rotor bodies regularly. 2) Occasionally put a drop or two of valve oil down the lead pipe to protect those surfaces which don't normally get oiled. 3) Minimize the amount of water left in the horn before putting it away. Let it cool down and then empty it before putting it in the case. 4) Periodically (perhaps monthly) clean the leadpipe with a snake, flush the horn out with water, then give it a thorough oiling. This will reduce the build-up of the twin enemies, green crud and gray slime. Richard Hirsh, Chicago _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
