Mouthpieces Discoloured ebonite mouthpiece

[turf3]

The thing about the Dremel tool is that it can get away from you pretty easy if you don't have experience and you can find the buff (or, far worse, the knurled nut on the collet) grinding against your mouthpiece facing before you realize it.

The bench grinder with buffing wheel, on the other hand, excels at ripping the workpiece out of the hands of the inexperienced user and flinging it across the shop, or against the back wall.

If I were going to do something other than ignore this discoloration (because that would always be MY default position - don't do something, just stand there!) I'd take something like Simichrome on a rag and lightly hand buff it and see what happens. No more than that. Applying power tools to a job meant for hand tools, when you're not in a production environment, and when the operator has no experience, is not a real good risk, in my mind.

Especially when we're talking about a minor aesthetic degradation that has no functional effect, and probably half the folks over 50 playing hard rubber MPs have several that've turned green just by age. So you won't be the only one with a green MP out there.

 

[ArtyLady]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I won't bother though as I was really only worried it may be toxic but I've been reassured it's not! So I'll carry on with it as it is as if I attempted grinding wheels/buffers/dremels etc I'd probably take my finger off!

 

[PigSquealer]

I prefer coco flavored over pistachio. Green is just so ‘20s

 

[lydian]

Crazy idea here.....go to an instrument repair shop, ask a tech to spend 1.5 minutes with it... and get charged maybe $10 ?

Extra perk, it can make the entire 'piece look brand-new as far as color and lustre.

I know, I know...insaaaaane....but hey....it's a Wild, Wild World.

My point was the "average" player probably doesn't have specialized tools. A tech visit is a great suggestion, as is sanding, wax, oil, etc. My tech does stuff like that for me all the time, usually for free considering all the business I give him.

I wish I had a full instrument repair shop in my garage, but I don't have room. Even if I did, I'd never break even on all the equipment. It would be a fun hobby though. Maybe someday.

 

[turf3]

My point was the "average" player probably doesn't have specialized tools. A tech visit is a great suggestion, as is sanding, wax, oil, etc. My tech does stuff like that for me all the time, usually for free considering all the business I give him.

I wish I had a full instrument repair shop in my garage, but I don't have room. Even if I did, I'd never break even on all the equipment. It would be a fun hobby though. Maybe someday.

Sure, but a cotton rag cut from an old T shirt, and a tube of Simichrome, don't take up much space or cost much.

In the place and time where I grew up, the man of the house that didn't have a tool kit and know how to use it was a rarity. Times have changed. And I grew up in a 900 sq. ft. house with a one car garage and a 5 x 8 storage shed in the back yard.

 

[Ivan]

....go to an instrument repair shop, ask a tech to spend 1.5 minutes with it... and get charged maybe $10 ?

There's a thirst for a DIY solution in this thread. What special thing does the tech do in the $10 per 1.5 mins ($400 per hr)?

 

[PigSquealer]

Sure, but a cotton rag cut from an old T shirt, and a tube of Simichrome, don't take up much space or cost much.

In the place and time where I grew up, the man of the house that didn't have a tool kit and know how to use it was a rarity. Times have changed.

I was shy to try Semichrome as it contains ammonia. Dunno if that compatible? @Dr G may know.

Where I grew up if you didn’t have the tool or knowledge. Someone in the neighborhood would. People knew their neighbors. Yeah, times have changed. Just google or YouTube it.
I enjoy threads like this. Ya know, the human interaction thing 😉

 

[turf3]

I was shy to try Semichrome as it contains ammonia. Dunno if that compatible? @Dr G may know.

Where I grew up if you didn’t have the tool or knowledge. Someone in the neighborhood would. People knew their neighbors. Yeah, times have changed. Just google or YouTube it.
I enjoy threads like this. Ya know, the human interaction thing 😉

If my stepfather didn't have the tool or know how to do it, Mr. Clark across the street, or Mr. Kingston next door, probably did.

Heck, when I was a twenty-something coming up in the world, all the guys in the office traded tips about our old cars, how to keep them going, how to fix what went wrong, etc. A few years later when we all started buying houses, same thing. "Gee, Mike, what's the trick on getting the toilet to seat fully down on the floor with that wax ring?"

I get the impression that people don't share knowledge so much any more.

 

[Mix O Lydian]

Can I ask why it matters if it goes green? I mean if it sounds good...and won't kill you?

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Two places, that green, ain't right.
HR/MPs and Pizza dough.
Saint Patrick's Day ugly. 🤮

 

[Colin the Bear]

And the smell.

 

[lydian]

Two places, that green, ain't right.
HR/MPs and Pizza dough.
Saint Patrick's Day ugly. 🤮

I tried everything on this one - sanding, buffing, polishing, oil, you name it. Nothing works. Any ideas?

Tenor Signature Saxophone mouthpiece - Max Ionata

I didn't imagine a 3D printed mouthpiece could play so well! This piece allows me to play all the notes I think in my mind and for the first time in my life finally, I can just think about playing music!

syos.co

 

[Targa]

I tried everything on this one - sanding, buffing, polishing, oil, you name it. Nothing works. Any ideas?

Tenor Signature Saxophone mouthpiece - Max Ionata

I didn't imagine a 3D printed mouthpiece could play so well! This piece allows me to play all the notes I think in my mind and for the first time in my life finally, I can just think about playing music!

syos.co

Spray it with a few layers of rainbow paint.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

I tried everything on this one - sanding, buffing, polishing, oil, you name it. Nothing works. Any ideas?

Tenor Signature Saxophone mouthpiece - Max Ionata

I didn't imagine a 3D printed mouthpiece could play so well! This piece allows me to play all the notes I think in my mind and for the first time in my life finally, I can just think about playing music!

syos.co

This might work.

 

[PigSquealer]

And the smell.

Compost flavor 🤢

I tried everything on this one - sanding, buffing, polishing, oil, you name it. Nothing works. Any ideas?

Tenor Signature Saxophone mouthpiece - Max Ionata

I didn't imagine a 3D printed mouthpiece could play so well! This piece allows me to play all the notes I think in my mind and for the first time in my life finally, I can just think about playing music!

syos.co

Microwave on high for twenty minutes. Add salt, pepper and a good coating of HP sauce. The cat will love it.