Making my horn raw brass

[FussyLad]

I've personally always liked the look of raw brass but being in high school I just took the horn I could afford (that being a Yamaha 448G). I was wondering if any of you good folk knew a way I could somehow remove the lacquer or something of the sort to at least get that raw brass look without 1. damaging the horn obviously and 2. not having to spend like 200 to get it done at a shop. thanks, and have a lovely day:)

[cb56]

I've only done it with Olds trombones.
So the yamaha lacquer is probably different.
I started small with the tuning slide.
Used a product called citristrip. rubbed it on with a rag, let it sit overnight. Next day washed it off then used a heavy duty scotch pad. Gives it a satin finish.

[Burgerbob]

It's easy enough to remove Yamaha lacquer, but it will take time and a bit of money. You'll also need to polish the horn afterwards. I personally wouldn't give it a scratch finish, but that's just me.

[cb56]

I've thought about doing that to my 1929 Conn 78h but just haven't been able to bring myself to do it.
Doug Bert's main horn is a 50s 6h that has a no laquer scratch finish. Looks pretty cool.

[JohnL]

Seeing as the OP sounds like they' might be on the young side...

Please read and follow all of the safety information for whatever product you use to remove the lacquer. As a minimum, gloves, expendable clothes (including your shoes!), eye protection, and good ventilation (best to do it all outdoors). The process will make a mess, and that mess will have some fairly harsh chemicals in it. Prepare accordingly and clean up in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

[FussyLad]

Yeah, I figured it would as what I've asked around with requires some sort of chemicals, I didn't think about ventilation, I'll keep all of that in mind for sure. also, I just had a thought, the horn has a kind of silver accents (for lack of a better word) on the tuning slide and where the tuning slide fits into the horn, is that something to be careful of not to damage with it whatever chemical I'm using to strip the lacquer is it all the same and I don't have to worry about it and that'll come off all the same or if it won't come of at all or if I will simply need another product all together?

[FussyLad]

It's easy enough to remove Yamaha lacquer, but it will take time and a bit of money. You'll also need to polish the horn afterwards. I personally wouldn't give it a scratch finish, but that's just me.

What product would you recommend using, also how much time are we talking here, like a few days a week?

[Burgerbob]

Those are nickel parts, and you'll be taking the lacquer off those as well. No biggie, just polish it with the rest of the horn afterwards.

I use EZ-Off extra strength oven cleaner and a steam cleaner to remove lacquer, outside, with eye, facial, and hand protection. It takes me a couple hours to go through an entire horn- the long part is the polishing, which can take a a few more hours. I use Hope's brass polish for that.

I only do bell sections, since that's the part people see, and you don't want any of these chemicals anywhere near the chrome inner slide.

[Bach5G]

I took my older 2B into the shop to have them remove the lacquer from the bell. Harder than it sounds, I guess, because it looks to like they couldn’t get it all.

[FussyLad]

I appreciate all the advice I'm gonna try and do it this weekend, any last tips on how to not mess my horn up

[Burgerbob]

1. budget plenty of time

2. do a spot, let the oven cleaner sit for 5 minutes

3. rinse with hot water, then apply next spot of oven cleaner

4. rinse and repeat until whole horn is lacquer-less

5. rinse off entire horn thoroughly

6. dry, or just let it sit

7. have fun polishing for the rest of the weekend

[cb56]

One more suggestion.
Do it outside if you can. That oven cleaner is nasty stuff

[FussyLad]

Thanks a ton!

[BoNeLife]

Bam oven cleaner works well. If you want to be more precise with the application I’d imagine you can spray it into a bowl and use a paint brush to apply it.