DIY cleaning and maintenance for your saxophone

[jbtsax]

Would using leather care, polish on the pads be beneficial; or would they stick?

I believe that the consensus among repair techs is that cleaning the pads from time to time with naptha (lighter fluid) or a cleaner made specifically for pads is the best long term practice. (I like Dr's Pad Cleaner) Most saxophones nowadays come with pads that already have a waterproofing treatment. As a result, putting topical creams and oils on the pads for the most part stays on the surface which attracts dirt and gets sticky over time.

If saxophones are well maintained and swabbed out each time they are played, new pads should last for a long, long time (12 - 20 years depending on how much the sax is played). The exceptions are the palm key pads and the low Eb pad which catch the most moisture and need to be replaced every 6 to 12 months on an average.

 

[thomsax]

If saxophones are well maintained and swabbed out each time they are played, new pads should last for a long, long time (12 - 20 years depending on how much the sax is played). The exceptions are the palm key pads and the low Eb pad which catch the most moisture and need to be replaced every 6 to 12 months on an average.

I use padpaper(no powder) or padswab on all pads. But the closed keys are more important.

 

[llamedos]

Castor oil was used in WWI aero engines. Quite a bit of it got into the cockpit and the airmen were badly affected.

I seem to recall being told that castor oil is still used in engine oils - could this be the origin of the brand name "Castrol"?

Dave

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

Castor oil was used in WWI aero engines. Quite a bit of it got into the cockpit and the airmen were badly affected.

Castor oil is still alive and well today, all the speedway guys use it, Jawa and GM speedway engines perform better for longer on it to. Castrol R30 AND R40 are the main ones but lots of other companies are producing it more and more these days, (smells great too) btw that smell you get at speedway meetings is the oil not the methanol fuel.

 

[Eastman52st]

Thnks Colin the Bear. I havent noticed any wear of defects yet but I think you are right I was just doing what my teacher suggested. I will talk to him about it next lesson and see what his response is. Only reason I trusted him is because he has been playing for 35 years. From now on im going back to key oil since you have a very good point.

 

[Young Col]

Castrol R...Ah... that's how racing cars used used to smell. So evocative.

WD40 (indeed, Water Displacement) also leaves a gritty residue. Has its uses, but never on musical instruments.

 

[jonf]

WD40 is petrochemical based and probably toxic.

Correct, it's also highly flammable, verging on the explosive.

 

[Ivan]

I find WD40 a very effective non-stick frying medium for egg 'n chips

















...though I'm not too sure about my life expectancy....

 

[sushidushi]

I find WD40 a very effective non-stick frying medium for egg 'n chips

















...though I'm not too sure about my life expectancy....

Not for the chips, surely. That'd be silly.

 

[old git]

Not for the chips, surely. That'd be silly.

Maybe that is why the phrase "Had your chips." originated.

 

[Bigtwin]

If anyone is wondering how effective WD40 is as a lubricant, spray a load on your bicycle chain and go for a ride. You'll soon have a nice clean chain, but the squeaking will really really annoy you.

I use a teflon/PTFE based lubricant in a spirit medium. The medium enables penetration, then evaporates off to atmosphere, leaving the lubricant behind to do the job. Little bottles of this that will last a lifetime on a sax can be had for about a fiver from cycle shops.

 

[AndyWhiteford]

I use a teflon/PTFE based lubricant in a spirit medium. The medium enables penetration, then evaporates off to atmosphere, leaving the lubricant behind to do the job. .

i wonder if that would be any good on pads?

 

[Bigtwin]

Might be - may as well colour them in with a very soft pencil though. Never had sticky pads - I just shove the padsaver in, leave ithe sax in the air to dry (rather than in the case) and that seems to take care of pad issues.