Rain-X on Hand Slides

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Thanks to my 20-year-old son having a fender bender, I am in a rental car for the next week or two. While driving the rental car through heavy rain to a gig this afternoon, I noticed that the windshield was horribly blurry. I decided to stop by a shopping center, buy some Rain-X and apply it under the cover of a parking deck. It made a huge visibility difference…….but I expected that.

It made me think about applying Rain-X to my hand slide. The original Rain-X product is a wax. You apply it, let it dry for about 10 minutes and then wipe it off so that there is only a minute amount left on the surface. The result is a the same as a waxed (painted) surface ……water will gather or “bead” much more.

Being that the beads of water are the hypothetical “ball bearings” that our slides travel on, I’m wondering if anyone has ever tried Rain-X or any other type of wax on their slide. I am hesitant to try it before hearing from others because I fear that the larger beads of water might result in a more sluggish slide…..just a theory.

If anyone has tried a wax product on their slide, please tell us about your experience. Thanks!

[afugate]

I have. This is what I currently use: CMX Ceramic Spray

Spray on. Let dry. Wipe clean. I think it makes a significant difference on my nickel slides. Reduces the scratchy sound.

--Andy in OKC

[Kbiggs]

Before putting it on an instrument, especially if it’s not intended to go on an instrument, I would check the Material Safety Data Sheets. I wouldn’t want to breathe or absorb anything toxic.

[Posaunus]

There's a previous thread on this very topic. Don't have time to search for it tonight.

I'm very skeptical of the "water droplets as ball bearings" theory. [It doesn't hold water!]
Perhaps we could get a tribologist to explain in plain English how lubrication works on trombone slides.

[BGuttman]

The previous thread was for SimpleCoat. Long section on Rain-X. Read here viewtopic.php?t=29400

Back in the Bad Old Days we had a spray version of Pledge wax that some really liked. Came in a hand spray bottle. Some people liked it as a slide lube, and it had a nice lemony smell as well. Big problem was a very slick spot on the stage floor where the overspray landed since it was often used on the gig. Johnson Wax discontinued that product leaving only an aerosol that didn't work the same. Steve Shires used the aerosol as a sub-layer on a slide repair and it worked great with my normal slide lube for decades.

[afugate]

Before putting it on an instrument, especially if it’s not intended to go on an instrument, I would check the Material Safety Data Sheets. I wouldn’t want to breathe or absorb anything toxic.

Agreed. I did look for this.
--Andy in OKC

[greenbean]

...
I'm very skeptical of the "water droplets as ball bearings" theory. [It doesn't hold water!]

Ha-ha!

[Posaunus]

There are specifically designed trombone slide lubricants that are formulated to improve smoothness and responsiveness. These lubricants are much safer and more effective for your instrument.
Water Beading: As you mentioned, Rain-X creates water beads. While they might seem like ball bearings, they can actually create a slightly uneven surface and potentially hinder smooth slide movement.

Right on.
The leading commercial slide lubricants (you all know them) work superbly - on a straight, parallel, undented set of slide tubes. Not everyone is so lucky, so they are inclined to blame their slide's recalcitrance on the lubricant.

And who doesn't want to "scoop" all the rest of us by discovering and revealing a magic formulation that will turn any slide magically slippery?

If my slide gets slow, I know it's time to visit my slide tech, not to change lubricants.

[harrisonreed]

The Slide Dr. Treatment (for the outer slide) is literally synthetic car wax. Works great.

[tjonz]

I play a Butler trombone and lube the carbon fiber slide with a light coating of Berp BioLube and a single drop of Yamasnot on the stockings, as recommended by the manufacturer. Works very well. Berp BioLube is beeswax based. Has anyone tried it on a brass slide?