Posted by Lee Stofer on September 12, 2003 at 07:10:27:
In Reply to: Sticky Valve posted by help on September 10, 2003 at 18:56:56:
It sounds to me like it is about time to have your instruments professionally serviced, chem-cleaned, washed and lubricated. I wish that I'd known what I now know about valves and slides years ago, and I could have saved myself a lot of grief and hassle. I'd estimate that at least 85% of valves on instrument that come through my shop need no repairs after they are thoroughly washed and chemically-cleaned, washed again, dried and lubricated. And, I have found that Hetman lubricants help keep them that way for a long time, inhibiting corrosion better than anything else I've tried over the last 25 years. Joe Hetman makes different thicknesses, or viscosities of piston valve oil, rotor oil, slide grease, bearing oil, and even special slide oils for fast-moving 1st & 3rd, etc. slides. I particularly like the facts that these lubricants are compatible with conventional lubricants, so there is no danger if you have to mix-and-match at some point, and that they are non-toxic, non-hydrocarbon, so you're not breathing unhealthy fumes.
Lee Stofer