Oooops. Typical plucking the words. I never said that clean mouth & teeth "will prevent valve wear more than oiling", but it has a lot to do with "sticking valves" - I repeat: STICKING VALVES, SLOWING VALVES.
<The act of oiling creates a thin film on the bore of the instrument - so all those food particles, and acids etc can't attach to the brass> - well, those particles do not stuck on the inside wall of the instrument but at the corners (valve section, soldering points). Indeed, oiling is good, if not done in excess, as too much oil accumulates also dust. If the oil is not the right one ..... And the "red rot" ??? The horn factories do not clean away the excess solder by hand but by a chemical bath, which is quite aggressive. If this chemical is not neutralized properly by extensive rinsing or another bath, the metal is ruined forever. Ken said: Red rot comes from inside the horn. Yes, off course, but created by the chemical situation inside the horn, which is caused to a greater deal by the USER�s habit (saliva, food, drinks, cleaning, oiling inside perhaps - I hate that smell & taste - etc.), but also caused by players demand to get a cheap priced horn & factories forced to production methods to save costs. They could use goldbrass lead pipes instead of brass, or at least special yellow brass. The same would apply to the valve rotors. If they are made of an alloy which is more resistant against wear (like bronze-brass or shipbuilding brass - never seen ? Watch the sailing boats which have a lot of brass, which is even seawater resistant for a long time.) But these things would increase the prices for a few percent. But I repeat here: the main factor is the human factor, the negligence of the users-players. Dents in the horn ? Pack it in the case whenever you leave the horn alone. Hold it properly infront of your chest & wrap it with both arms or at least left arm when walking to the stage or the pit. Just a change of habit will save you a lot of trouble & money. A micro fibre small towel to clean the "touching points" of your horn after use, will keep the horn "shiny" even it is not lacquered, but not forever but for a longer while. Just discipline. _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
