Cleaning Silver Plated Instruments - demonstration and time-lapse

Here's a time-lapse demonstration video of me cleaning a second hand instrument I've picked up. Brasso is the product of choice which I'm using here, and it makes pretty short work of most of the corrosion on this instrument.
One thing that no polish will fix is the areas where the silver plating has worn straight through - those can only be repaired by re-plating the instrument.
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[@Wxyvs-]

i was told by a repair shop person to never use brasso as it is too harsh on an instrument. he also told me to only polish once a year with my good silver polish i have

[@theobirkholz]

I love the shaking innuendo

[@brentonsmith3901]

Would a baking soda and water mixture to de-calcify a silver plated instrument be a good idea?

[@mal2ksc]

You might want to look into wand plating to touch up where the silver is gone. Caswell makes such a kit, which I have used successfully, though they are not the only ones. Silver is also the easiest such metal to plate, by a good margin. Copper would probably be second-easiest, followed by gold, but both really do better if silver is applied first. (Nickel is a right bitch to brush-plate, I don't recommend trying.) You do have to buff down to clean brass, hopefully with no discernible "lip" where the original silver leaves off, because the layer you put down is only going to be a few dozen atoms thick at a time. That is to say that while it will protect the metal and provide a color match with the rest of the finish, it won't be anywhere near thick enough to fill in irregularities, even after the three to five coats recommended. If you really want to be classy, you can then "gold wash" the bell by applying gold plate on top of the silver plate, but so thinly that the silver still shines through as well. Or go whole hog and put down a full gold plate over the silver -- something that is not at all expensive for a mouthpiece, but might cost a few dollars on any large section of an instrument. The advantage is that while gold will wear mechanically because it is soft, it will not react with the acids in your skin. Even when you manage to wear through the gold, there's still the silver underneath (either original, or provided by you to replace what went missing). As for the water temperature, there's really no reason to stop at "warm" or even "bath hot" with plated instruments. The water can be practically boiling. (Don't do this on lacquer, it can make it peel off.) As you were doubtlessly aware, chemical reactions take place faster with increased temperature, so you can reduce the soak time by using hotter water. Just don't get burned.

[@Omlet221]

1:15 “Throw that- uh, place that *gently*”

[@aidanhowgate5437]

Check out Goddards long term silver foam, you apply with a sponge and rinse off, it's brilliant for getting in to the difficult areas and it's kind to the plating.

[@colelambrix1836]

Is there a different procedure for laquered brass instruments?

[@jahnnyquest]

Thanks. I'm working on a 1922 Alto Sax, but many of your tips helped.

[@jonniewadd56]

How did that work out for you?? I'm doing a 1923 Silver plated tenor Buescher, any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

[@BrassFeline]

1930 trumpet

[@thatkilleracer6972]

I tried the polish on my on my 1938 elkhart/pan-American cornet and the silver started to come off

[@noobmakergaming6199]

@@thatkilleracer6972 when you polish silver it actually strips the tarnished silver off of the instrument. Likely all of the silver in that are was tarnsihed

[@godzillapowerpufffan8142]

Your video is very helpful and I'm getting a silver plated sousaphone for Christmas 2020

[@williamchang7949]

I think Christmas may be canceled

[@Ipersil]

Si le aplicas brasso a los instrumentos de viento al poco tiempo se ponen negros producto de la oxidacion. Lo mejor es aplicar polish silver, productos especialmente diseñados para los instrumentos. Suerte con eso !!!

[@Arthur-hg7ny]

Is syphilis not good? How do you catch it from your horn?

[@esotericist]

can I get rid of my syphilis in a hot bath? LOL

[@Thermionman1970]

I have a silver plate Yorkmaster tuba that was really tarnished.............I like the tarnished look but I decided to polish it and got some Silvo polish....looks wonderful.....however began tarnishing very quickly after....so will have to spray some lacquer on it as it will just keep tarnishing.... I don't want the metal to get thinner..........

[@jadentooke6621]

I have a 4 valved Silver Plated Rottery Tuba it is getting a bit dirty but no tarnish can I give it a warm bath with the valves left in?? Don't feel very comfortable taking them out...

[@TrentHamilton]

The bath will do nothing helpful to the finish on a silver plated instrument. There are some spray on/wipe off polishes that make cleaning slightly easier.

[@supersocks7463]

ayo what syphillis???

[@ajlewis5446]

My school euph. Is so dirty, I can't even get the valves out/ in of thier cases, any tips to help with this?

[@isabellegerber3616]

Be gentle, euphonium is a beautiful instrument, so just be very careful and take it slow. Don't use much force.

[@Sad_JavadGT]

I have a silver plated thomann trumpet .. brow stain..how to cleanin it? Please help me

[@hemgie61]

Brasso is a no no. It will indeed clean your Silver Plated shinny as you shown for sure, but it will cause oxidation quicker and stain. You are right about cleaning the instrument leaving no residue as it will continue the process, however most everyone cleaning a big instrument will likely leave a lot of it still. Even more so if it's only maintenance rather than pulling the whole instrument apart. Brasso is abrasive, it's already mentioned here in the comments. I found this product I am about to order as apparently it is designed specifically for silver instruments. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWbChIuHo7-oepY

[@floriang5149]

At the end on the cleaning, can you give a quick water bath to make sure you get rid of the polishing product ?

[@mazturner9230]

Yes then polish it again then give it another bath followef by a polish.

[@mazturner9230]

Oops sorry i meant to type, followed.

[@andymayeuxproductions]

color or colour?

[@spookedmangoes8118]

Or.😏

[@jonniewadd56]

@beta tester 21 Color...American...Colour...Canada....Canadians know how to spell!! ;)))

[@french7515]

@@jonniewadd56 well no, they just spell them different. America wanted to save money on ink so they changed how things are spelled to save money. and Canadians only stock up on maple syrup during pandemics .

[@isabellegerber3616]

Color is American, and how I spell it. But colour looks better.

[@stevenhernandez494]

What type and brand was that instrument ?

[@antiussentiment]

My instrument only has low virility syphilis. So it would be a shame to pick on it with hot water...

[@darylynn621]

How is replating done and the cost? In your bit of the world . Is there ever an excuse for paint? We were taught that a cotton cloth was part of playing a horn. Don't use it on your face like Satchmo! Also some.ppl are more caustic than other. Cheers

[@ericsummers765]

For a valved trombone would it be ok to bathe the upper part of the horn that has the valve?

[@TrentHamilton]

Eric Venier Yes, but don't use any harsh chemicals.

[@kylejahimiak5010]

Can confirm, that motion come a lot more natural to woodwind players. Source: I play clarinet

[@1PITIFULDUDE]

My horn has Syphilis😳

[@mazturner9230]

Should i buy a new instrument instead of using a really old one to avoid catching a disease

[@Dizzyphan]

Brasso is for naked BRASS!! MIlitary buckles, buttons, brass curb chin chains,etc. Never use that on silver. If anything use silver polish made for silver. Brasso is too abrasive and will take the silver right off the instrument in quick order. Also for tarnish can use a bottle of "Tarnex" as a dip or lightly apply with a cloth then rinse off. Tarnex turns the tarnish back into silver. After Tarnex then can use silver polish OR a Blitz cloth made for silver.

[@spencer3752]

This is my understanding as well. My bottle of Brasso even says, explicitly, not to use it on silver.

[@isabellegerber3616]

Yea, I hope no one ruins their instrument after watching this.

[@cooLoutlet]

So does the "brasso" eat off the lacquer as well, or does it just remove the tarnish on the metal?

[@TrentHamilton]

I'm not sure, but I think the recommended way to clean lacquer is by using warm soapy water.

[@tubapix]

For a lacquered instrument I use Pledge furniture polish and a VERY soft cloth - preferably a diaper but a microfiber cloth will work.

[@5naxalotl]

brasso/silvo are for unlacquered metal. brass colored instruments are lacquered, silver plated are not afaik but perhaps should be. silver tarnishes vastly silver tarnishes vastly slower than brass

[@joensab]

unless Brasso has been reformulated, or I missed that they have a silver specific polish which is differerent than their original product, this is a highly damaging practice. Best method for silver is a hot water baking soda submersion with aluminum foil base or wrap to allow the electrolytic action remove tarnish without the mechanical removal of the silver...as seen on 2nd valve slide in this video. Shared, not to minimize your efforts, but as a suggestion of an alternative method .

[@jonniewadd56]

@@joensab Is there a proportional amount of water and baking soda that should be mixed?? Tks!!

[@alexandercalder2143]

I thought Brasso was too abrasive?

[@Mrsaxman502]

Lololol

[@vk2172]

LOL so woodwind players are wankers? xD

[@isabellegerber3616]

He said that you don't put your hand up these instruments, but it's a French Horn!! You have to put your hand in it to play it!! Is this guy mistaken, stupid, or not actually a French Horn player?!?! Edit: I just found out it is actually a mellophone....so you don't put your hand in it. I was wrong, sry.