TromboneChat

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I’m just wondering how I should properly get this stuff off. I wiped it off with a paper towel, but there might be more as I haven’t looked at the tuning slide too thoroughly. There was more on before I took the picture, but I wiped it off.

Don't get too aggressive. If you polish the slide too much you will make it fit loosely and you will be sorry. The black "goop" on the valve slide doesn't do any harm. If you really have a problem with how it looks, push the slide in all the way and play your valve positions out a little

Pull the slide and degrease with a little valve oil and a rag, not a paper towel, then swab out the receiver part again with a little valve oil.
Or as Bruce mentioned, don't worry about it or see a tech.


Eric

Side note. You would have to be pretty aggressive and use something like sandpaper to actually make the slide loose (assuming it isn't already. Some manufacturers deliberately make slides loose to allow for "interchangeability") If you were to use something like a fine scotch brite pad, you will be able to clean the slide without any concern for making the part loose.

Using a detergent would be my first move. Simple dish soap would be fine. This will remove any grease/oil and organics present. Then, wipe the part with vinegar. This will remove any limescale that is present. Then, you may "polish" with the fine scotchbrite pad. Wash again with dish soap, dry, re-grease, and away you go!!

M

By black goop, do you mean tarnish? The tuning slides aren't lacquered, so they will get dis-colored. I like to clean the tuning slides with water and a little dish detergent using a cleaning snake doubled over, so both brushes scrub the insides. Then dry with a clean rag, and finish off with some rubbing alcohol before re-lubing. Also, if you have a cleaning rod, you can clean the receivers with a rag dampened with rubbing alcohol. (I keep some in a spray bottle for this) If you want to shine them up a bit, you could use a small amount of toothpaste on a damp rag and polish gently.

The non-abrasive Scotchbrite pad sold for washing dishes will do a pretty good job with some Dawn dishwashing liquid or a citrus based degreaser. I just did that on an old horn today.