What's the best way to keep slides working?
hey so I play trumpet and I have a fairly new trumpet maybe 6 months to a year old and the tuning slides are already getting hard to move. I bought some synthetic slide grease and I tried cleaning the slides and greasing them. I was just wondering what the best way to keep the green crusty stuff (I think it's mold?) from forming and how to keep the slides performing at their top performance.
I have incredibly good luck with Selmer tuning slide and cork grease. I dont know if im supposed to post links or not but this is the stuff http://band-orchestra.musiciansfriend.com/product/Selmer-Tuning-Slide-an... It works really well to keep the tight for loose fitting slides and also keeps tight fitting slides moving smooth. Its like honey in consistency, rather than the cheaper creams or greases. I'd call it a "Gel". And you will get that green crusty oxidation on newer instruments. Playing them regularly i find keeps my instruments all clean. And if you plan on not playing for a few weeks or months, wash it and air dry it before you store it.
Give it a clean in warm water with soap, run a brush through it and so on. Then wipe all the stuff off to the slides and put vasaline on it. I do the same with my trombone tuning slides.
The green stuff is probably some oxidation. I'd stop using the slide grease. If it doesn't go away from a clean, take some brasso to it and it should be fine.