TromboneChat

Why is that trombone slides, for the very most part, use cream and water or some silicone-based product (like Yamaha and Slide-O-Mix offer) as a preferred lubricant while valve players (trumpets, baritones, horns etc) predominately use valve oil (which I assume is petroleum based, even if synthesized)?

If cream/silicone products offer advantages for slides, wouldn't they also offer the same advantages to valves? Or does oil offer advantages to valves that don't translate to slides? I assume players of slide and valve know well what works best for them. I'm wondering what the relative lubricant type advantages to each are and why?

Think about the fact that there are (basically, never mind some of the subtletiess) two kinds of valves: piston and rotary. Then do a search on those valves and you'll see a wealth of information about their differences and issues in lubricating them. Then check on how tightly pistons, rotors, and trombone inner slides are fit into their outer casings and how that might affect the lubrication you would choose for them. All will be revealed.

Got it! Google and AI to the rescue. Makes sense (and I forgot about trombones using oil on their rotors).