long-lasting slide lubes

[RobL]

For horns other than my daily driver I'm curious what lubes people have found to be most stable/durable. I'd imagine it involves a sacrifice in speed, but that's a trade-off I'm willing to make in exchange for not having to wipe down and start from scratch once or twice a week every time I use a particular horn. Thanks.

[Burgerbob]

IMO? Nothing. If you don't play a horn, clean the slide and put on some Yamaha when you get it out again.

[Posaunus]

Rob,
I've got to agree with Aidan. This is NOT a good trade-off. If you want your slides to last a long time, it's important that they not sit around wet. If I don't plan to play a trombone the next day, I wipe down the outer surface of the inner slide, carefully swab and dry interiors of both inner and outer slides (and oil the valve if necessary), and re-case the trombone. If I'm playing the trombone daily, I might only do this every 2 or 3 days. It only takes me about 30 seconds to re-lube a slide (with tiny amounts of Yamaha Lube or Slide-O-Mix Rapid Comfort) - and I'm ready to play! For pennies/day.

Using this protocol, my "classic" (= old!) trombones have the fastest slides in the West!

[brassmedic]

IMO? Nothing. If you don't play a horn, clean the slide and put on some Yamaha when you get it out again.

This.

If I try to go more than a week without cleaning my slide, the slide action sucks. There is no magic lube that makes this not true.

[GabrielRice]

Also, you are inviting red rot if you leave slides sitting wet.

[spencercarran]

You gotta maintain any mechanical system if you want it to work properly. No way around that.

[Posaunus]

We all want magic bullets.

Haven't found one yet.

So I clean, dry, and store my slides; then re-lube before I play again. All is good!

[Matt K]

Trombotine is the most long lasting I've ever used but I make sure it's dry before putting away... or close to.

[CharlieB]

For horns other than my daily driver I'm curious what lubes people have found to be most stable/durable. I'd imagine it involves a sacrifice in speed, but that's a trade-off I'm willing to make in exchange for not having to wipe down and start from scratch once or twice a week every time I use a particular horn. Thanks.

Look for petroleum based "slide oil".
It doesn't have the lubricity of modern silicone based lubes, but it is less apt to gum up over time.

[Posaunus]

Look for petroleum based "slide oil".
It doesn't have the lubricity of modern silicone based lubes, but it is less apt to gum up over time.

Hmmm! I guess I've never left lubes remain on my slides long enough to ever "gum up." (I use Yamaha lube or Slide-O-Mix Rapid Comfort).

My slides are exceptionally slick at all times - but I clean and dry them at least every few days, if not daily. Slide lube (and my 2-minute slide hygiene protocol) are cheap; a good slide tech is expensive.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

There is no perfect lube. Each is unique and reviews will vary for every player. Here are some of my observations:

Slide-O-Mix: I like the “light” better than the regular. Lasts about 2 or 3 days for me, then it gets crusty. All forms of SOM tend to deteriorate with changes in weather (hot/cold cycles when in my car). The “Rapid Comfort” type tends to break down with hot/cold cycles faster.

Yama-Snot: Great for about 1 or 2 days. Turns dry and crispy very rapidly, sometimes in the middle of a performance. I do not like that it turns bad so quickly. To be consistent, it must be cleaned and reapplied daily.

Yamaha Slide Cream: Very good for the first hour, then deteriorates very quickly. When I used it, I was swabbing and reapplying during every rehearsal break and every concert intermission. Got tired of reapplying so much.

Trombotine (and similar creams based on the old cold cream formula): I have found Trombotine to have the most longevity. On my great slides, I can apply it and go 4 or 5 days, but it only lasts long on certain slides. Trombotine is also susceptible to separating (into water and cream) if it goes through hot/cold temperature cycles.

[Kbiggs]

Like others said: remove the moisture or clean the slide after using. If you can’t clean it, hang it upside down to let it drain. At home I sometimes hang it from my music stand.

Yamaha makes a great slide swab to remove 90-95% of the moisture after playing:
https://www.hickeys.com/music/brass/tro ... ofiber.php

Expensive, but durable. I used to make my own with thin paracord, a fishing weight, and a long strip of diaper cloth or something else absorbent. These work well and I don’t have to make them. I don’t use them for cleaning, just for removing moisture.

I’ve tried a number of different lubes: oils, cream, 2-part concoctions, sprays, stump water collected during a full moon, etc. For me, Trombotine and UltraPure Alessi formula work best on my Bach 42 and 50. The UltraPure regular is great stuff, as is Yamahasnot, but I think they work better on newer slides with a tighter tolerance, like Yamaha or King slides.

[RobL]

Thank you all for taking time to respond.

[Molefsky]

I purchased a shires last year from a dealer who's since become /not/ a shires dealer. I've discovered that not only is it not the instrument I ordered but there is red rot coming through the outer slide. Had it scoped and confirmed by an experienced tech. Any tips for delaying the inevitable?

[JohnL]

I purchased a shires last year from a dealer who's since become /not/ a shires dealer. I've discovered that not only is it not the instrument I ordered but there is red rot coming through the outer slide. Had it scoped and confirmed by an experienced tech. Any tips for delaying the inevitable?

Beyond cleaning and drying the slide after every use, there's not much you can do.

Was the horn supposed to be new?

[Molefsky]

yes, supposed to be new.