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Bare brass temptation

You could try just boiling the neck in a sauce pan to see if that works. You will probably need to replace the cork if you do this. I removed nitrocellulose lacquer from a bari sax using a propane hot oil "turkey fryer" shown below. The second photo shows how that type of lacquer comes off in sheets. Once the water gets to a boiling temperature, it doesn't take that long.

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I didn't want anything on the brass as I wanted it to tarnish naturally, which it has done and I love the way it looks and sounds.. Has it altered the way it plays? Yes, most definitely! Why and how? Probably because an ageing horn was stripped of all its mechanism, which was then cleaned, lubricated and then serviced meaning fewer leaks and a better and more responsive mechanism. She's lovely to play too!
 
I've used some acetone again today with some results, but not very efficient. I checked and apparently my wife no longer used the old fashioned varnish remover. She's got a very sensitive nose and she asked me if I had been using any solvant a couple of hours after I used acetone in the basement with closed doors! :w00t: I said, hmm, euh, me, no, not at all! Why would you think that? :rolleyes:

I take your point about the wax! And I'm starting to look for a proper chemical varnish remover...
 
Has it altered the way it plays? Yes, most definitely! Why and how? Probably because an ageing horn was stripped of all its mechanism, which was then cleaned, lubricated and then serviced meaning fewer leaks and a better and more responsive mechanism.
Ha.
Yes, very nicely put.
:cheers:
 
I've used some acetone again today with some results, but not very efficient. I checked and apparently my wife no longer used the old fashioned varnish remover. She's got a very sensitive nose and she asked me if I had been using any solvant a couple of hours after I used acetone in the basement with closed doors! :w00t: I said, hmm, euh, me, no, not at all! Why would you think that? :rolleyes:

I take your point about the wax! And I'm starting to look for a proper chemical varnish remover...
Good plan. Yes, acetone is just really a messy pain....
 
I didn't want anything on the brass as I wanted it to tarnish naturally, which it has done and I love the way it looks and sounds.. Has it altered the way it plays? Yes, most definitely! Why and how? Probably because an ageing horn was stripped of all its mechanism, which was then cleaned, lubricated and then serviced meaning fewer leaks and a better and more responsive mechanism. She's lovely to play too!
This reminds me of the comment one time on Sax on the Web where a member wrote my Mark VI with most of its lacquer gone sounds much better than it did when the lacquer was new. That is because I have practiced on it every day for the past 20 years.
 
So you never applied any product afterwards? Just to try and keep it as smooth as it looked...

I have in mind to use some wax to try and preserve the finish.
It's unlikely to work. I tried Renaissance wax, as used by the British Museum to preserve items. It didn't work.
 
It's unlikely to work. I tried Renaissance wax, as used by the British Museum to preserve items. It didn't work.
Yup...another of those internet lore things. Renaissance has its purpose, but its purpose is not to prevent patina on bare brass instruments....
 
I have a bare brass tenor. I didn't like the brass smell on my hands, so I gave it a good polish with car wax. It doesn't stop it getting stained, but it doesn't smell any more.
 
Playing a bare brass instrument with all that copper content will also be better for easing rheumatoid arthritis in the hands.
(Medical opinion says not but they probably don't believe in mysticism either.)
 
The looks beautiful. The darker golden color is quite striking. I hope you used the acetone in a well ventilated area or outdoors. It can be unhealthy to inhale the fumes for any length of time.
 
I didn't take much precautions with acetone. What I read said it was not dangerous. I only had some obvious dryness of my thumb as it was in direct contact with the acetone soaked cotton. My last inspection with a proper light showed I still have some traces of lacquer in places, including inside the bell.

It's hard to decide when it is done done! :D
 
I have a YAS-21 cheapie in bits right now. The nickel key work is in nice condition. The brass bits... well...

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I tried using dremel bits and 3M scotchbrite pads per @jbtsax and this combination works well - remove the lacquer with the dremel then hand finish in one direction with the pad. BUT... it takes time and some of the nooks and crannies are impossible to get to with the dremel.

So... I took the bits to a chap I know who does a bit of soda blasting. It seems grit, sand, other media may be too harsh for brass from my research. I just want to remove the tough Yamaha lacquer which my liquid strippers wouldn't touch.

He demonstrated how it would come up by refinishing part of the bell - I liked it. So I'll put up some photos once it's back this/next week.

Then I'm thinking... I could use gun blue to blacken it perhaps - this would maybe give it some protection as it would when used on steel? Or just leave it in its matt state fresh from the soda blasting. Or carry on with the 3M "satin" finish, akin to brushed stainless steel. I'd also give it a coat of car wax to try and stave off the discolouration. Or maybe I should embrace that for a mottled vintage look and forget the wax?

Anyway, you can help me decide once it's back. It's destined to be the second prototype rig for my new pad system. The first, a Jupiter 767 alto, retains its scrappy lacquer. But I just thought, if I wanted to soda blast the Jupiter too there are no pads to damage as I just take them out in 2 minutes! Let's see how the Yamaha goes...

More soon...
 
Try boiling water first. Arta Gubans were Romanian, and if I had to, I would guess they used the old-school lacquer which is more easily removable. The neck would not have come off so easily if it was the more modern, harder lacquer recipe.

Hot water + Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) ?????
That does sh#t.
Where did you read THAT ?

Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) is the one which has SOME effect, but I wouldn't even bother with that (although for kicks you could add some to the boiling water..it won't hurt anything).

On old-school lacq I do boiling water, followed by a scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush to reach the nooks and crannies, the followed by something like Barkeepers Friend or Wrights copper cream also with a toothbrush in the nooks. Once soaped and rinsed and dried, you will then still need to use some 0000 steel wool to get off any residual flakes which will remain otherwise.

If the boiling water fails, next go to a mild paint stripper such as Citri-Strip. Multiple applications and rinses may be necessary.

If that fails, then go with some of the nasty chemical paint/varnish remover., brushed on...the kind that burns your skin, yes - time to pull out the big guns here....in a well-ventilated area and use gloves and do NOT dispose of the stuff which sloughs off down a sink drain.
Why no one ever mentions acetone?

Easy to use, evaporates without leaving caustic residues (like paint strippers), readily available at any paint store.

Frankly, OP, if what you're after is the "well worn and played till the finish came off" look, I'd not bother with getting all the lacquer off down in all the nooks and crannies. Those old horns guys played till the finish came off, the finish stayed down there in the mechanism, because those areas don't get any handling. And if you leave those areas alone, there'll be a lot less verdigris building up and making your corks and felts sticky.
 
Anyway, you can help me decide once it's back. It's destined to be the second prototype rig for my new pad system. The first, a Jupiter 767 alto, retains its scrappy lacquer. But I just thought, if I wanted to soda blast the Jupiter too there are no pads to damage as I just take them out in 2 minutes! Let's see how the Yamaha goes...

More soon...
Watch out for the bumper felt holders...they're plastic.
 
I'd read that even acetone won't touch Yamaha lacquer and folks were resorting to all sorts of corrosive stuff to get it gone. Watching the soda blasting today it came off so easily yet left a smooth uniform finish on the brass.
Being a 70's Yamaha it doesn't quite fit the "old Selmer" type look, but I just wanted to freshen it up for its fresh, new fangled, pads. I'm just wary the bare finish will "go off" over time, but that's all fine too. If I can manipulate the starting appearance it may have a knock on effect on how it ages.
 
Watch out for the bumper felt holders...they're plastic.
They certainly appear to be metal on this one. How do I know? I tried the dremel on the small guard, including the felt holder which had a scratch on it, and satinised the top of it whilst attempting to polish away the scratch. I also tried to work out how to remove the holders. They must be pressed into the guards. Tried gripping the three segments on the rear of each holder and squeezing but they're immovable. Conclusion - nickel plated metal.
However, as you're always right I'll get him to mask them up. :thumb:
I did remember to mask the plastic thumb rest and the neck tenon/receiver. The tiny cork slivers in the rod cradles were knackered. Guess I'll slice me some new ones on reassembly.
 
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They certainly appear to be metal on this one. How do I know? I tried the dremel on the small guard, including the felt holder which had a scratch on it, and satinised the top of it whilst attempting to polish away the scratch. I also tried to work out how to remove the holders. They must be pressed into the guards. Tried gripping the three segments on the rear of each holder and squeezing but they're immovable. Conclusion - nickel plated metal.
I once made the mistake of heating one in an effort to free it up.
Maybe some models had metal ones (which wouldn't make sense, really)...but I've treated them as plastic ever since.
 
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