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Cleaning silver instruments

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Cleaning silver instruments
From: Aileen Lawrie <Aileen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 11:46:50 +1300
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some body was recently asking about cleaning brass instruments. This is a
topic of considerable interest to me as I play for the Rotorua band.
Rotorua is well known for its geothermal activity which is a great tourist
attraction but is hell on instruments.  They turn black in just days if left
out of their case.  Luckily the band has a new set of lacquered instruments
but the few remaining unlaquered silver instruments like my Shilke have a
hard life.

I have discovered a very effortless way to clean my instrument:

Try putting the instrument (minus all the sensitive parts) in warm/hot water
and add aluminium foil (just standard foil used for cooking) and baking
soda.  Its amazing how the tarnish just lifts off (you get a good whiff of
sulphur).  I understand it is just a basic chemical reaction but it leaves
the instrument clean without any elbow grease required.  It works on the
same principle that jewellers use to clean jewellery.

---------------------------------------------
  Aileen Lawrie       
  Soprano WestpacTrust Rotorua Brass    
  NEW ZEALAND  
  Phone:     +64 0800 ENV BOP (368 267)
  Fax:       +64 0800 ENV Fax (368 329)
  Mail to: Aileen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:Aileen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
  http://www.boprc.govt.nz <http://www.boprc.govt.nz> 
 ---------------------------------------------


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