TrumpetMaster - View Single Post

rowuk · 02-10-2007, 03:54 PM

Valve oiling is more important than one may believe.
The oil is applied to the valves and should protect them. We are blowing moisture and other small particles into the horn and that stuff mixes with the oil and changes its properties. If moisture gets to the metal, then the oil will float on top, thus leaving the valve unprotected.
Normal petroleum based oil has a useful life of about 17-20 hours. Then the petroleum part has evaporated - why do my valves still feel ok, you may ask? There are other things like paraffin in the oil and the moisture of your breath that keeps the valves going.
Synthetic oils are a different situation. They do not normally evaporate during their useful life. Unfortunately, the moisture and small particles still collect on the viscous oil and represent a potential danger.
The safe thing is to brush your teeth before playing - always. This limits the amount of particles entering the horn. If you are playing alot, every couple of days you should take the valves out of the casing, wipe them and the casing clean and bone dry (oil floats on top of water remember?) reoil and you are good to go. If you don't, your valves will not die overnite, they will wear more quickly however.
Waiting until the valves get slow is not a very good thing to do. I cringe when people say that they oil once a week!

02-10-2007, 03:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
rowuk Moderator Fortissimo User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 4,360	Re: How often do you oil your valves? Valve oiling is more important than one may believe. The oil is applied to the valves and should protect them. We are blowing moisture and other small particles into the horn and that stuff mixes with the oil and changes its properties. If moisture gets to the metal, then the oil will float on top, thus leaving the valve unprotected. Normal petroleum based oil has a useful life of about 17-20 hours. Then the petroleum part has evaporated - why do my valves still feel ok, you may ask? There are other things like paraffin in the oil and the moisture of your breath that keeps the valves going. Synthetic oils are a different situation. They do not normally evaporate during their useful life. Unfortunately, the moisture and small particles still collect on the viscous oil and represent a potential danger. The safe thing is to brush your teeth before playing - always. This limits the amount of particles entering the horn. If you are playing alot, every couple of days you should take the valves out of the casing, wipe them and the casing clean and bone dry (oil floats on top of water remember?) reoil and you are good to go. If you don't, your valves will not die overnite, they will wear more quickly however. Waiting until the valves get slow is not a very good thing to do. I cringe when people say that they oil once a week! __________________ Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.