Does anyone have suggestions for polishing nickel-plated cornets? I definitely want to avoid anything that could damage it. The two products I've heard recommended for nickel plating on auto parts and firearms are Flitz and Metal Glo, but I don't know if this would be appropriate for an Austrian-made cornet that may be actually "German silver".

As far as I know, "German Silver" (Neusilber to the Germans) and nickel are one and the same, at least when it comes to polishing. Pass auf, aber, if your instrument is laquered, just use a soft cloth. If unlaquered, then your basic brass or silver polish will work fine. Shine it up and play the puppy.

Have fun!

A friend of mine has a chinese nickle plated cornet and the instructions that came with his was to use AMONIA FREE glass cleaner. It has a lacquer spray over the nickle silver and the amonia will eat the lacquer, apparently. It seems to do a very good job. He has had the horn for 2 years, is an everyday player of his and it still looks like new.

Chris

If it ever had any, the lacquer wore off of this one many decades ago. It's now rather rough, but mostly intact, nickel plating. I tried some of Hagerty's silver polish on a bottom cap to see what it could do-- which wasn't much. It may be too far gone, which is fine because it still looks a lot better to me than a leprous gold-lacquered old horn. It has character!

Most nickel silver instruments are actually lacquered, so anything you would use on a lacquered instrument will work.

These days I use plain old carnuba wax, but I have heard everything from Pledge (which looks really good on regular lacquer) to just wiping with a silicone cloth.

If there is no lacquer then a mild metal polish will work.
I've been using Mothers lately with really good results:

Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish 10 oz.

Greg