a_legaspi

What is a REKA Kit and where can I get one, some one mentioned it earlier in a post.
Ariel

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Breath to expand, not expand to breath.
-Arnold Jacobs

Alex Yates

I have a REKA kit and it is very nice. I cannot remember where I bought it, but I am sure it was some place like WW/BW. I am too lazy to Google it for you right now....LOL. The company is German, out of Monheim.

Tootsall

REKA make cleaning kits for various instruments including French Horns. Their "snake" consists of a small, plastic ball on the end of what seems to be a very strong, plastic "line". The other end of the line terminates in an orange, foam ball.

Since there is not tuning slide to remove on an Eclipse trumpet in the leadpipe, you pull the 3rd valve out and poke the small end of the snake into the port where the leadpipe terminates. Once you've got the snake started you poke it through until the small ball comes out the receiver. Then you pull the snake through until the orange foam reaches the opening in the 3rd valve and you "wriggle" it into place so that it can be drawn into and through the leadpipe with one pull. A drop of soap or oil really helps, especially the very first time you use the kit. It will not jam up in the venturi if you make the pull smooth enough.

For cleaning ports and sections of tuning slides there is another foam ball on the end of a plastic stick. There is also a larger one for doing the valve bores.

As Alex said, WWBW http://www.wwbw.com/search/?src=REKA&x=31&y=4 .

The kit they make for French horn is sufficiently long that you can "snake" it right through the valve cluster.

Since there is NO metal or wire in this kit it is very safe for the innards of your instrument. Still, I'll use a normal valve "bottle brush" from time to time. The kit also includes a mouthpiece brush.

a_legaspi

which kit do you suggest I get tootsall, the french horn one or the trumpet one, you mentioned something about the french horn snake being better.

__________________
Breath to expand, not expand to breath.
-Arnold Jacobs

PhatmonB6

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought I had read somewhere that Clifford Brown never cleaned his horn.

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Bach Strad 180S37
Monette B2

Well, if I could play like Wynton (Marsalis), I wouldn't play like Wynton.
Chet Baker

trumpetgirl612

heh i clean mine super often...it hardly gets that gross....
but ...sometimes i get delinquient nevertheless
i think the worst was when i had the stomach flu and kept playing
i cleaning that thing a hundred times that week to get rid o the germs lol

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More than just a trumpet player

Tootsall

French Horn kit is not better. The snake is longer as is required by the extra tubing of a french horn. Trumpet kit is perfect for trumpet/cornet/flugel.

a_legaspi

Thank you for the info tootsall, I am going to be purchasing this real soon. I just gave my horns bathes about two days ago too. I think I might get a better result with the cleaning of the horn with the REKA Kit.
Ariel

__________________
Breath to expand, not expand to breath.
-Arnold Jacobs

Alex Yates

Hey Ariel, you are right. The results are much better than brushes. Aside from not having any metal parts (as Toots said), the swabs are made of a rubber sponge. They fit perfectly as to form a seal with the walls of the tubing. One of the swabs is for the valve casings and works great. I have never felt good about using brushes there. Anyway, that seal guarantees that anything in the horn gets swabbed out. Brushes can leave a lot of grime behind and also require more repetition to do a thorough job. This kit is really worth the investment.

Eclipsehornplayer

Hey Toots!

Thanks for the info on this kit. I have the Bach with the spring metal and brushes and have always not felt really good about putting it through my horn.

I am going to order this for sure.

Thanks again

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Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces