Cleaning up tarnished Silver Plate

[Linky Lee]

So I've been recommended many things for the job, Silvo (brasso for silver), general household silver cleaner.

What would you guys recommend? I'm thinking a silver impregnated polishing cloth and some silvo wouldn't harm the sax.

Bear in mind there is no mechanism on it so you don't need to worry about getting anything on the pads etc.

 

[chrisshaw]

The problem with brasso (on brass saxes) is that it gives this terrible white glow to it and it would cloud if you wanted to lacquer it, which means cleaning it back off, so i'd maybe be careful if this is the case.

 

[Linky Lee]

I don't want to lacquer it. The plate is solid enough and is almost 100% intact. amazing for such an old horn (82 this year!)

 

[griff136]

Silver cloths are good, hagertys silver polish - available at jewellers and HS WALSH- is good for areas that are heavily tarnished.

 

[Linky Lee]

Sounds good, I'll get hold of one or something similar and see what happens. I'll do it on a bit of the mechanism or something first as a 'test piece'.

Cheers!

 

[griff136]

I find it best on keys to tear a strip of the cloth off and put it in vice and then hold the loose end of the strip and rub the key on the cloth - try it - it works better than trying to rub the key.

 

[chrisshaw]

Yea sorry I wasn't sure what year your sax was, wow a 30's pre-lacquer, nice.

 

[Linky Lee]

make that 20's and you're right on the nail 😛

 

[tengu01]

Wow. That's some nice vintage saxage. I've got a silver plated (not as old by any stretch) sax and I use a silver cloth on it. Works a treat

 

[Linky Lee]

I bought myself a Silver cloth.

I got some old rags and some brasso and away I went.
It worked a treat and removed all the tarnish. I then cleaned the surface of to leave it with a decent shine.

I'm not going to give the horn a bath to completely remove anything left on the sax, and clean the inside out.

I'll then let it dry through natural causes and use my cloth to polish the saxophone up to a bright shine. The same goes for the keywork.