Silly question, but???

Hi all, got my first sax 4weeks ago (yanagisawa T901) lacquered brass.
My question is that I've been using a micro fibre cloth to polish it and wipe off the dried spots of saliva?

Now having been an engineer for 20+ years I wouldn't normally ask such a rudimentary question but is a micro fibre cloth the best choice? Or is there something better.

Just concerned as to how tough the laquer is on my shiny horn!

Thanks, Lee.
 
Just concerned as to how tough the laquer is on my shiny horn!

Thanks, Lee.

Can always test it with some real abrasives - I think you'll find that wet and dry used wet takes the shine off very quickly. 80 grit should leave a lot of big scratches. >:)

Seriously, afik the big manufacturers are using epoxy lacquers. And while it's reasonably tough it needs treating careully. Micro fibre, or soft cotton should be OK. An occasional waxing with furniture polish will help. But don't use an abrasive polish like the car waxes.
 
I'm not sure you have this product in the UK, but here in the states Lemon Pledge Furniture Spray Polish is the gold standard product to clean, protect, and shine lacquer finishes. I typically spray a light mist on a soft cloth, wipe the area with the moistened cloth, and then buff lightly with a dry cloth. Cotton ear buds can be used with the same product to clean hard to reach areas under and around keys.
 
I'm not sure you have this product in the UK, but here in the states Lemon Pledge Furniture Spray Polish is the gold standard product to clean, protect, and shine lacquer finishes. I typically spray a light mist on a soft cloth, wipe the area with the moistened cloth, and then buff lightly with a dry cloth. Cotton ear buds can be used with the same product to clean hard to reach areas under and around keys.
We've had Pledge here for donkeys years...
 
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I use folded pipe cleaners to get into the nooks and crannies.
Fold them so that you hold the open (and possibly) sharp ends in your hand, then poke in anywhere!

My bari has a permanent layer of dried saliva, I think it must be a feature of bari playing - showering yourself - or maybe I'm just a very wet player!

I normally wipe it with a damp cloth, then dry with a dry one. But be careful not to pull the blue steel springs off by accident!
 
Thanks all, I've just been using a dry micro fibre and got in the small hard to reach bits with cotton buds. Interesting to hear that pleage is being used, sometimes you need something with a cleaning agent in it to shift stubborn spots!
But then my sax is only 4 weeks old so it's as shiny as a shiny thing.

I was just curious! Being an engineer I'm eqisitive about things I'm not already acquainted with! Didn't want to start rubbing the laquer off.

I was wondering if it was normal to produce this much syliva? After 30 minutes practice its running out over the fingers on my left hand! Nice.

Rgds Lee.
 
I was wondering if it was normal to produce this much syliva? After 30 minutes practice its running out over the fingers on my left hand! Nice.

It is one of the side effects of playing saxophone: reduction of brain size and bank account and increase of salivation.
On bari players the effect is even stronger.

I am happy you find it "nice". Unfortunately it's not only saliva, but also pointless condensation.
 
Thinking about it! blowing warm air down a metal tube, its more than likely 90% condensation!

Don't worry: you are still spitting on yourself.
I am thinking of the amount of alcohol that could be recycled from saxophones (and trombones!) condensation... It might be a good business.
 
If you do use pledge (I use it to clean customers horns) to keep your lacquer clean and shiny make sure to spray the pledge onto your cloth and not directly onto the horn where it could easily get on the pads, which you should try to avoid.
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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