Cleaning/improving the inside of my outer slide

[steve4dd]

I have watched Bill Watrous' video, and several others. After following those methods, I still have a very slight bit of friction around 3rd position. There is no visible dent in the slide, so I might assume there is a patch of buildup. (Its on the upper tube so I can't see anything shing a bright light into the spit valve.) A gillion years ago, I was told to use Brasso to abrade off any gunk/corrosion on the inside of the slide. Is this still considered a good idea? Or, what else is recommended?

[hornbuilder]

Have you had a good slide tech look at it? It's okay to clean the slide, but if there is any alignment/straightness issue, then it won't matter how clean it is.

Do not use Brasso, as it contains Ammonia. Hopes brass polish is the product to use.

[JTeagarden]

Try holding a Kleenex with your fingertips and rubbing it along the outer slide where the slide stocking would be in 3rd position, you can often detect dents this way that you cannot feel with your fingers alone.

Also, do the inner slide tubs line up with the center of the outer slide tubes when you put the slide together? I would bet half the used trombones I've ever bought had "sprung" slides when I got them.

[CharlieB]

Another test.........
Clean both the inner and outer slide tubes with alcohol, and coat the stocking with black Magic Marker.
Keeping the slide vertical, reassemble, and operate the slide over the problem (3rd position) area.
Many times, reading where the Marker has rubbed off will tell a story.