Polishing Cloth Recommendation

Whistle
1

I just found a very good polishing cloth for Silver and Nickel: The “Bach Polishing Cloth #1878 for Silver and Nickel plated finishes”

I picked this up at MARS music, but you should be able to find it at most stores that sell brass/woodwind instruments as it’s distributed by the Selmer Company.

This particular polishing cloth is large, non-abrasive, and according to the printed insert, “contains no harmful ingredients”. It is made specifically for use on (non lacquered) Brass and Woodwind instruments. Don’t use this baby on your recently relacquered Selmer Mk. VI Tenor Sax though, it’ll wreak havoc on the finish!

I just used this polishing cloth on several whistles with excellent results: Two Nickel Copelands, A Nickel Oak C and the Silver on my recently acquired Abell Eb, D, C set.

The Oak cleaned up with little effort, despite some serious tarnishing at the tone holes due to the fact that this has been my main practice whistle for some time (partially tape covered windway for VERY low volume practice).

The Abells polished up almost as easily, despite the fact that the silver had taken on a very dull and tarnished look - no doubt because the previous owner had neglected them for quite some time. Perhaps he was too busy with all his fancy schmantzy new flutes, hmmm? :slight_smile:

The Nickel Copelands were the toughest to polish up: It seems my skin reacts in some strange way with the Nickel used by Copeland Woodwinds, even a few minutes of playing will leave a bunch of fingerprints virtually etched in the finish. In the past I have tried several non abrasive methods of cleaning these marks off the whistles, to no avail. In the end they always look like some kid with dirty fingers has been playing them. :frowning:

However, after a few minutes of working on the damp Copeland D with the Bach Polishing cloth, I was able to remove almost all of the fingerprints, and the whistle took on a nice shine upon final buffing. Ditto with the Copeland C.

So, there you have it: If you need a good polishing cloth for you Silver and or Nickel plated whistles and bits, you might want to look for a Bach Polishing cloth. I think the cost was under 10 bucks, not bad at all, considering one of these should last at least couple of years.

Loren

[ This Message was edited by: Loren on 2001-12-25 15:13 ]

2

I have had great luck with the Cape Cod polishing cloths sold at Restoration Hardware… Expensive but they do a great job on brass and silver, shine lasts a long time. No petroleum smell or residue.

3

What were you guys using prior to the polishing cloths ??

4

Loren, you crack me up. The reason I didn’t polish them is that my dad is an art and antiques dealer and he has drilled into me that polishing pewter/silver/brass, etc, actually reduces the value of old items. A pewter chalice worth $10,000 can be reduced to $2,000 just by polishing off the patina. So, I suppose I’ve become a bit scared of polishing my instruments, and I’ve grown to like the tarnish. To each their own.
Best,
Chris

5

Chris, Abells are not antiques. Hee hee.

:slight_smile: Jessie

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Ha! Chris that’s funny!! My folks are/were antique dealers too, as well as my grandmother who specialized in dealing antique jewelry for more years than I can count. She was also a highly regarded piano instructor for the prestigious Curtis institute in Philly, and I can tell you, she NEVER let her Piano get “Gunky”! Heh heh. It’s like Jessie says, the Abells aren’t antiques…yet :slight_smile:

Loren

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On 2001-12-25 18:43, Tony wrote:
What were you guys using prior to the polishing cloths ??

Tony, before I got the Cape Cod cloth I was using Brasso. Smelly, but it works nicely and is quite cheap.

8

Tony,

I had been using mostly various types of soaps with water. Having had some experience with various paste, powder and liquid type brass cleaners in the past, I didn’t want to go that route for various reasons; many can be too abrasive, didn’t want any of that stuff in the windway, difficulty getting it off/out of the right angles around tuning slide and raised windway on the Copeland, messy, smelly, harsh chemicals that were never meant to be anywhere near your mouth, etc.

I suppose I would still be happy to find really good paste or liquid cleaners for the various metals, but the polishing cloth seems a good way to go for all but the toughest jobs, at least for me that is.

Loren

9

Loren - I use 0000 steel wool and then jeweler’s cloth.