I recently removed the lacquer finished from my 60's Holton Colliegate cornet. Im going to get it all polished out and then wanting to find something to lightly coat it with when the finish gets to the color I want. Any ideas? I just dont want to have to polish it weekly so it doesnt tarnish.

Some folks use a good quality car wax to seal the raw brass.

I was thinking the same thing... The horn should naturally build up a patina that will protect the actual brass. I came across this site and thought it might be something that someone could answer. Would doing this be bad for a horn?

Patina Formulas for Brass, Bronze and Copper

This subject has already received some attention here. Lots of people have their preferred brand of wax. A small minority endorse using cloths that are marketed to gun owners which contain silicon. I tried this option on my Olds Special, and so far so good. But I seem to have a body chemistry that is friendly to raw brass, and the same cannot be said for everyone.

Meanwhile, my Ambassador, which I polished to a brighter sheen, has darkened much quicker. Myself, I like the aged look, but to each his own.

-Steve-O

Any mineral oil, such as baby oil or Skin-so-soft will greatly slow down the
tarnishing process.