Type of cloth to clean inner slide tube?

ttf_drater421 · Post by **ttf_drater421** » Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:49 pm

I've been away from the Trombone for 20yrs and just bought a shiny new Bach Strad 42BO.

What type cloth should I use to wipe/clean the inner slide tubes? Is a paper towel okay, or a dishrag/bath washcloth, cheese cloth, a kleenex, a polishing cloth? For the life of me, I can't remember what I used so many years ago.

I'm terrified to wipe it down with anything as I don't want to scratch the slide tubes.

Thanks so much for your time!

ttf_Blowero · Post by **ttf_Blowero** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 1:28 am

Do not use a cleaning rod on the inside of the inner slide tubes. Only use the cleaning rod on the outers. For the inners, use a snake brush with dish soap and water. To wipe the outside of the inner tubes, paper towel is fine, or any soft cloth. Chrome is pretty hard; a paper towel wont scratch it.

ttf_timothy42b · Post by **ttf_timothy42b** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:10 am

Quote from: Blowero on Jan 24, 2018, 01:28AM Only use the cleaning rod on the outers. For the inners, use a snake brush with dish soap and water.
I agree, and I go a little further. I only run that snake brush through when the inners are inside the outers, protected from any inadvertent side forces that might alter the alignment.

There are youtube videos that advocate a rod inside the inners but that seems unnecessarily dangerous to me.

On the outside of the inners I use a paper towel.

There is some disagreement on what to use on the rod inside the outers. I've seen recommendations for cheesecloth (most popular), muslin from a bed sheet, and paper towels. I think anything that goes in there that you don't hold the end of is eventually going to get stuck.

ttf_bonearzt · Post by **ttf_bonearzt** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:08 am

Using paper towels for the outer slide tubes is THE WORST idea!!!!! Long piece of cloth of some kind that you can hold and use to pull the rod out, never pull the rod to remove the cloth!!

Agree with Brad to NEVER use a rod on inners, easily misaligned & possibly damage the lead pipe!

Eric

ttf_Geezerhorn · Post by **ttf_Geezerhorn** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:15 am

Quote from: bonearzt on Jan 24, 2018, 06:08AMUsing paper towels for the outer slide tubes is THE WORST idea!!!!! Long piece of cloth of some kind that you can hold and use to pull the rod out, never pull the rod to remove the cloth!!

Agree with Brad to NEVER use a rod on inners, easily misaligned & possibly damage the lead pipe!

Eric

...Geezer

ttf_JohnL · Post by **ttf_JohnL** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:01 am

Quote from: drater421 on Jan 23, 2018, 11:49PMWhat type cloth should I use to wipe/clean the inner slide tubes? Is a paper towel okay, or a dishrag/bath washcloth, cheese cloth, a kleenex, a polishing cloth? For the life of me, I can't remember what I used so many years ago.

I'm terrified to wipe it down with anything as I don't want to scratch the slide tubes.It sounds like you're asking about wiping down the outside of the inners? As mentioned by several others, you have to be careful how you clean the inside of your slide tubes (inners and outers), but wiping down the outside of an inner tube isn't a big deal. I don't like to use anything that leaves behind any lint, but any reasonable soft, lint free material should be fine. Don't put a lot of muscle into it - as mentioned, you can throw the slide out of alignment. You're just wiping it down, not scrubbing or polishing it.

ttf_drater421 · Post by **ttf_drater421** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:38 pm

Quote from: JohnL on Jan 24, 2018, 11:01AMIt sounds like you're asking about wiping down the outside of the inners? As mentioned by several others, you have to be careful how you clean the inside of your slide tubes (inners and outers), but wiping down the outside of an inner tube isn't a big deal. I don't like to use anything that leaves behind any lint, but any reasonable soft, lint free material should be fine. Don't put a lot of muscle into it - as mentioned, you can throw the slide out of alignment. You're just wiping it down, not scrubbing or polishing it.

Yes, that's what I was trying to ask.

Thank you and everyone else who replied. I'll stop freaking out about scratching the the inner slide.

ttf_drater421 · Post by **ttf_drater421** » Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:38 pm

Quote from: JohnL on Jan 24, 2018, 11:01AMIt sounds like you're asking about wiping down the outside of the inners? As mentioned by several others, you have to be careful how you clean the inside of your slide tubes (inners and outers), but wiping down the outside of an inner tube isn't a big deal. I don't like to use anything that leaves behind any lint, but any reasonable soft, lint free material should be fine. Don't put a lot of muscle into it - as mentioned, you can throw the slide out of alignment. You're just wiping it down, not scrubbing or polishing it.

Yes, that's what I was trying to ask.

Thank you and everyone else who replied. I'll stop freaking out about scratching the the inner slide.