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There was a post recently on the mouthpiece google group, detailing Dr Paul Coates approach to refurbing a discoloured, smelly HR piece.
1 - Clean out inside with lemon juice, this dissolves the calcium deposits without leaving a vinegar taste.
2 - Use Magic eraser under lukewarm running water to rub off the discoloured outer layer of rubber
3 - Polish by hand with plastic polish
4 - Buff with a soft dry cloth.
5 - Another poster suggested polising with beeswax as a final step. Not sure if I'll be able to do that.
Avoid tip/rails as you do it.
I'm partway through step 2 and thought I'd share the results so far:
untreated side (beak has been partly done:
Treated and untreated sides
Treated side. Note how the lig mark is nearly invisible.
It still smells a bit, not sure if it's because of the side that's untreated or that I didn't take enough off.
My fingers smell worse, suggest you use rubber gloves.
The mouthpiece has a metal table as well as reinforcing ring. There's no apparant damage.
I'm not sure of the metal, I originally thought it was silver, but I think it's actually nickle-silver, so don't blame me if you use it on silver plate and take the plating off.
Looking good so far.
1 - Clean out inside with lemon juice, this dissolves the calcium deposits without leaving a vinegar taste.
2 - Use Magic eraser under lukewarm running water to rub off the discoloured outer layer of rubber
3 - Polish by hand with plastic polish
4 - Buff with a soft dry cloth.
5 - Another poster suggested polising with beeswax as a final step. Not sure if I'll be able to do that.
Avoid tip/rails as you do it.
I'm partway through step 2 and thought I'd share the results so far:
untreated side (beak has been partly done:
Treated and untreated sides
Treated side. Note how the lig mark is nearly invisible.
It still smells a bit, not sure if it's because of the side that's untreated or that I didn't take enough off.
My fingers smell worse, suggest you use rubber gloves.
The mouthpiece has a metal table as well as reinforcing ring. There's no apparant damage.
I'm not sure of the metal, I originally thought it was silver, but I think it's actually nickle-silver, so don't blame me if you use it on silver plate and take the plating off.
Looking good so far.
