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kehaulani
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Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Posts: 9033
Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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 Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:18 pm Post subject: Proper way to clean/air your horn out? |
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(Assuming you're not hurling exotic chunks through your horn) Is there any difference between swabbing your horn after use than just airing it out? I've always just put mine on a trumpet stand. I've never found any disadvantage to doing this. Thanks, K-
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abontrumpet
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Joined: 08 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 1:21 pm Post subject: Re: Proper way to clean/air your horn out? |
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| kehaulani wrote: | | (Assuming you're not hurling exotic chunks through your horn) Is there any difference between swabbing your horn after use than just airing it out? I've always just put mine on a trumpet stand. I've never found any disadvantage to doing this. Thanks, K- |
Human breath is not just pure C02. I contains other compounds. Airing it out will allow whatever is in the breath/spit combo to harden along the walls of the trumpet. If airing out did enough to "clean" the horn, you wouldn't need to clean the mouthpiece or horn if you brushed before you played. We know that isn't the case. Swabbing dries the horn and removes all that little stuff that's there. They are not even close to the same thing.
I'm not a scientist, but that's my unscientific response to that question. |
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Bill_Bumps
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Joined: 07 May 2019
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Proper way to clean/air your horn out? |
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| kehaulani wrote: | | Is there any difference between swabbing your horn after use than just airing it out? |
I always do both. I swab and snake my horn out very thoroughly, then disassemble it and air-dry it for a couple of hours before putting it away. |
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zaferis
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011
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Location: Beavercreek, OH
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Yes, definitely a difference.. I use Blow Dry/Spitballs frequently - they are soaked in an alcohol based solution that helps dry out the interior. Swabs and snakes a little less often to get any more resistant build ups.
I think leaving them to air dry will allow things to grow before they actually dry. No matter how clean you mouth is, there will be a biological element in the air passing into the instrument - a moist dark, atmosphere, somewhat protected surface of raw brass will grow stuff.
I will say (noting that you're in Hawaii) that for the 4 years I was in Hawaii with the USAF Band, I have very few issues with moisture in my trumpets.. the weather is such that much less condensation happened.
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abontrumpet
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Joined: 08 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| One thing I didn't mention was corrosion. Bits of stuff can be rehydrated and cleaned out. But corrosion is no bueno. Medium moisture seems to expedite corrosion. Also throw some valve oil down the leadpipe once dried out. |
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scottfsmith
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Joined: 27 Jun 2015
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Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:02 am Post subject: |
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I just blow my horn out.. take off the 2nd valve slide, and blow hard until I see no more water coming out, and press 2nd-3rd valve to also blow it out. Then I put that back on and take the 1st valve slide half-off (take off the outgoing side only) and then press 1st valve and blow .. clears out the 1st valve slide. Lastly I turn the horn upside down and blow hard with no valves down. Then set on the stand.
This gets nearly all the water out so there will be no major residue collecting. It's not as good as a swab but it's a lot easier to do. A lot of water comes out when doing this, even if you were using your water key.
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kehaulani
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Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Posts: 9033
Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:24 am Post subject: |
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| abontrumpet wrote: | | Also throw some valve oil down the leadpipe once dried out. |
Actually, I never oil my valves, per se. I put oil down the leadpipe and blow it through the horn.
IMO, some of the said chemical results is more theory than practical. The only time I had any kind of trouble was when I neglected cleaning my horn for a long time, then cleaned a lot of crus out of it.
Aside from that, I never had any problems with red rot or any other perceived chemically produced problems.
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
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