Stickipad

[stephen_howard]

Filipe wrote:
Are there any other fluids you can use to clean sticky pads, what do lighter fluids have special? Is alcohol ok?

You then apply the fluid to a bit of cotton and wipe the pad up with it right?

I got a sticky open A that is even worse when using the "little" open Bb key.

There are lots of different alcohols - depends which one you have. It's said that tape head cleaner ( isopropyl ) will do the job.
Meths doesn't work, nor does white spirit or turps - and I couldn't say for sure what any of these other fluids might do to the pad long-term.
Nothing very special about lighter fluid other than it simply works, is cheap and readily available.

Best way to apply it is to use a pipe cleaner - bend it in half and use the rounded end. Splash a bit of fluid on it, gently apply to pad and tone hole rim. You can bend the pipe cleaner to get further into the tone hole for more thorough cleaning.
Failing that, apply to a cotton cloth and slide it under the pad - lightly close key and drag cloth out.

Note that if your springs are too weak then you're more likely to run into problems with sticking pads.

Regards,

 

[steve_m]

I've found octave pads can be a bit annoying if they stick a little and make a noise as the leather pops off, even if it doesn't impair playing.
If there's a sticking octave pad I sometimes use an artificial cork pad which works well.