Posted by Lee Stofer on February 25, 2004 at 08:23:58:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: first valve slide issues... posted by bloke on February 25, 2004 at 00:30:51:
The results I get with Hetman are so much better than with traditional hydrocarbon lubricants that I exclusively use Hetman in the shop. It will safely coexist with traditional lubricants, and does not contain silicones that eventually build up and cause problems.
A word of caution. Some folks use AliSyn synthetic lubricants. If using AliSyn, bear in mind that it does not mix with anything else, and requires AliSyn solvent to remove the stuff when cleaning your instrument.
A word about Al Cass "Fast" valve oil. An oil developed for trumpets (which have smaller valves and less friction), Al Cass is made of petroleum solvents, not petroleum distillates as traditional valve oil is. Therefore, when Al Cass evaporates, there is nothing left on your valves. With traditional oils, when the more volatile portion evaporates, the heavier portion remains, making the valves feels sluggish, which is your clue that it is time to re-oil. With Al Cass, you are not likely to get the sensation of the valves not working as well until a small amount of valve damage has already occurred. I repair more euphoniums with scratched-up pistons, some severaly so, because they were using an oil with insufficient viscosity and staying power. This is where someone can benefit so much from using the Hetman lubricants. The #1 Light Piston Oil has a feel very similar to the Al Cass, but last so much longer. For the valve slide issues, he makes 6 different viscosities of slide lubricants, so I'm assured that one of them will be the best choice for the slide I'm dealing with. then, I can recommend that viscosity Hetman to the customer - no mixing, no hydrocarbons, just a non-toxic synthetic that works for a long time, but that also does not make cleaning the horn more difficult, either.
Lee Stofer