Euphonium oil question

[EriKon]

Not sure where to put it, but will go for this category:

There is only a short piece of tube from the mouthpiece to the first valve on the Euphonium. Lately I've often noticed that after cleaning and oiling the valves, I can smell the oil through the mouthpiece. Maybe it's just my imagination but sometimes even get some sort of oil taste in the mouth. I don't think this is very healthy in the long run. But I'm wondering if that's normal or is there some kind of maintenance that I'm missing that has to be done to avoid that?

Just for background: I use some sort of LaTromba valve oil (would have to check later at the theatre which one exactly).

[BGuttman]

Oils with a lot of volatile organic chemicals will often release a taste or smell through the tubing. Some oil brands have less smell or taste. You may find that a synthetic (silicone) formula has less smell or taste since silicones are not very volatile (volatile means evaporates easily, in case you didn't know).

What are you using as your valve oil now?

[Vegasbound]

As Bruce said that smell etc is common, I would suggest a better quality valve oil, as your in Germany visit Steve Mead’s website he sells a great valve oil, I use it on my old imperial EEb tuba you need only two or three drops on each valve once a month

[EriKon]

Oils with a lot of volatile organic chemicals will often release a taste or smell through the tubing. Some oil brands have less smell or taste. You may find that a synthetic (silicone) formula has less smell or taste since silicones are not very volatile (volatile means evaporates easily, in case you didn't know).

What are you using as your valve oil now?

Thanks for the insights! I'm using a LaTromba oil right now, I think it's the fast oil (grey/black cap).

[mbtrombone]

If the concern is the long term health issues you could also look into Berp BioOil. I believe it was developed with the idea that petroleum based oils might not be healthy to inhale all the time. I tied a bottle once and liked it well enough but it was used on some really well worn in horns. They make different viscosity oils now also.

[marccromme]

You could try - after a good valve casing clean for old oil - to use silicone based , water-emulated yamaha trombone slide snot. Works perfectly on my cheap Euph and my Meinl-Weston Eb tuba. Does not smell.

Does not work well on some piston valved instruments, but works perfect on mine.

In case it does not work well, you need to clean again before re-starting with oil ...

[MrHCinDE]

I’ve noticed this also with some hydrocarbon-based oils in the past but haven’t given it a second thought since I started using Hetman Standard Piston (Nr.2) and Classic Piston (Nr.3). If you’re looking for a faster oil, there is the Light Piston (Nr.1). These three are all synthetic lubricants.

I just looked around for the Hetman and it seems not to be stocked any more by Thomann, which is a bit strange. I’ll be annoyed if I have to find alternatives to the 3 or 4 Hetman products I use on trombone and euphonium…

[SamMcHenry00]

I hate Blue Juice for that very reason. I started using Yamaha Light Synthetic in my Adams E1 and I very rarely can smell the oil now, and if I can smell or taste it it’s gone in a couple minutes.

[hyperbolica]

I bought a big bottle of Ultra-Pure lamp oil at the hardware store. Doesn't stink. I don't see any difference. You can fill up old Mamma Cass or Blue Juice or Baltimore Brass bottles. Big 64 oz bottle costs like $10. If you bought 64 oz of Blue Juices, it would be ~$6/bottle x 32 bottles = $192. You can get the lamp oil in blue for the same price if that gets you going. Stink is extra.

[Blabberbucket]

If the concern is the long term health issues you could also look into Berp BioOil. I believe it was developed with the idea that petroleum based oils might not be healthy to inhale all the time. I tied a bottle once and liked it well enough but it was used on some really well worn in horns. They make different viscosity oils now also.

This is your answer. Do not use a petroleum distillate based oil. Switch to a good quality synthetic oil - Yamaha, Hetman, etc

[Blabberbucket]

I’ve noticed this also with some hydrocarbon-based oils in the past but haven’t given it a second thought since I started using Hetman Standard Piston (Nr.2) and Classic Piston (Nr.3). If you’re looking for a faster oil, there is the Light Piston (Nr.1). These three are all synthetic lubricants.

I just looked around for the Hetman and it seems not to be stocked any more by Thomann, which is a bit strange. I’ll be annoyed if I have to find alternatives to the 3 or 4 Hetman products I use on trombone and euphonium…

Hetman is a synthetic hydrocarbon-based oil. If you search for material data safety sheets (SDS) for Hetman products you can easily confirm this, and find data about the particular hydrocarbon components that make up their oil.

[MrHCinDE]

Hetman is a synthetic hydrocarbon-based oil. If you search for material data safety sheets (SDS) for Hetman products you can easily confirm this, and find data about the particular hydrocarbon components that make up their oil.

That was clear in my mind already but I see how my post could be misinterpreted. I should have perhaps included the word “other” in my first sentence to avoid giving the impression that Hetman is not hydrocarbon-based.

As you say the data sheets confirm that it is a synthetic hydrocarbon-based oil.