Vaseline or Vaseless ?

[Littlepaulb]

I recently watched a Brendan Power video explaining he uses Vaseline on his slide gear . I have long been averse to this from some distant past advice.
Is Brendan correct or wrong, if the latter is there any kind of lube that can be used ?

[Scotty]

I recently watched a Brendan Power video explaining he uses Vaseline on his slide gear . I have long been averse to this from some distant past advice.
Is Brendan correct or wrong, if the latter is there any kind of lube that can be used ?

Brendan is Brendan--he can open up to dismantle (and clean) any chromatic in seconds, so using any kind of Vaseline or other lubricant for him isn't a
big deal. For 'me' it would be - since having difficulties with my hands means more problems working on my instruments (we're all at different stages).
I don't use anything on my slides --but since I primarily play cx-12's, that becomes quite unnecessary. I've never used anything on my Super 64's or
other 'regular' slides either, though--since I have a long-haired dog and cats whose fur floats through the air and sticks to everything.

Vaseline, for me -would be just asking for trouble. It depends on your situation. Others use special oil (just a tiny dab, though) made by Suzuki IF your slide isn't running smoothly. If mine weren't, I think I'd try to figure out some other way of fixing the problem (jeweling) rather than using oil or Vaseline.

scotty

[Littlepaulb]

What does Jeweling mean ? Polishing ? I have also never used it before, but have recently bought 2 Qi Mei Harps one 1040 one 1248 and as they were very inexpensive ( but great for practice and some gigs) thought I would experiment and give it a go. Like you say though I'm worried about a build up of gunk and even cheap is money and time.

[Littlepaulb]

Oh and thanks for the response.

[streetlegal]

A tiny amount of vaseline can be applied along the top and bottom edges of the slide - but not to the front or back of the slide as you don't want any vaseline finding its way into the comb and on to the reedplates.

[Scotty]

Oh and thanks for the response.

You're welcome --but 'jeweling' is something I haven't yet done - and learned the term from Smokey Joe Leone of this list. I'd have to turn to him for
help if and when? I know others do it too - mostly the customizers/repair people. I 'believe' it involves smoothing down every rough edge via various means (the edges of each of the slide pieces) and also perhaps flat-sanding of the actual comb mouthpiece. These are all things I haven't yet tried in
toto -mostly due to the several different surgeries I've had done on hands and shoulder and the long recovery periods - which I'm still trying to get through.

I have polished, using MAAS, every metal part of those chromatics I own (being super careful around the reeds...working with tiny tools and with tiny amounts of the polish which is non-abrasive, and have used the finest 00000 grade steel wool to round off edges and to give a super high polished
finish on some surfaces. I suspect 'jeweling' does much of some of this except taking what I do a whole step further.

I hope Smokey jumps in here since he can provide far more info than I'll ever know.

scotty
PS: it could also involve replacing the spring and screws --these are all still beyond my abilities, so would be more likely to send a chromatic out for that
kind of work.

[Littlepaulb]

Thanks, yes a lot of hard work.

[SlideMeister]

In my experience, Vaseline/petroleum jelly ALWAYS gets into where it shouldn't be and (YMMV of course  ) I ONLY use it on my springs.

[carlrosetti]

Dick Gardner uses a Conn Formula 3 silicon oil-just a drop or two on your fingertip....not to 'oil' the slide ,but to keep dirt and dust from sticking to the slide.  Using it as a repellent to what dirties the slide.  It sticks and gets slow because its dirty.  A by product is that it does make the slide slide better.   New mouthpiece  bumpers help ,too.

[BeauKim]

I’ve used Vaseline with no issues, including with collecting dust.  I do my best to warm up my chromatic harmonicas but make sure I don’t overheat them.  That wouldn’t be good for the comb (depending on material) and valved, too.  Use those precautions and also not too much. 

As Scotty describes, jeweling involves smoothing our the rough surfaces from the slide assembly as a result from how it’s manufactured.  I took a chisel to my slide and backplate to get rid of them.  The idea is to allow for closer tolerances for better air tightness and slide action.

[SlideMeister]

I personally LOVE that food-grade silicone. (that's the stuff they use for lubricating meat-grinders and stuff) Slicker than the old proverbial "frog-snot on a wet rock" Yeah, it wears off after a couple hours, but it never collects dust and doesn't have the slightest after-taste. The only downside is that it's kinda expensive.

[smojoe]

I don't understand people who get all over seered. And won't get 3M 400 grit (0000), or as Scotty has stated 00000 or 000000 color coat sanding paper. As used between coats of automobile paint. Auto parts stores may not have lower than 0000. But that's good enough. Then what's the phobia (klepto) against emory boards from the cosmetic section of Walmart? Or maybe a very fine finger nail file. Is that too foo foo.
 
You could always make sanding wands. Take a bundle of 10 or so popsicle sticks, clamp them together, make sure the edges are all in line and even and flush, slam them down on upside down emory paper coated with glue, and let it all set. Sharp edges? Whack em with a wand.
Then slice the bundle apart with a razor blade. This gives you wands with a 0.10" (abt. 2.5mm) paper coating on the thin edges. Ten will last you about 45 years. lol.

As for vaseline? Why not? Just don't slather it on like you're making a sandwich and feel that you have to float the cheese in a sea of mayo. I mean, what's the deal here? Why are people making this so hard? Or expensive?

smo-joe

[SaxonyFan]

I have this little tiny bottle of slide oil which I purchased from Hohner when I started playing the chrom about five years ago. I use a little after every slide cleaning which occurs every 1 to 3 months for my Saxony. I think it’s still half full. Cheap.

[Scotty]

In my experience, Vaseline/petroleum jelly ALWAYS gets into where it shouldn't be and (YMMV of course  ) I ONLY use it on my springs.

I only use the tiny little pots for chapped lips, rubbed in really well, then removed with a tissue, especially before playing. I don't want it migrating
into my chromatic at all, but I'm one of those prone to chapped lips in the cold here, so it works well enough for that. Then I wipe down the entire
chromatic mp just in case anyway, hahaha, and drink a lot of water. (smokey would call this having a 'klepto').

scotty