Re: [Harp-L] Ponce Dee Leon's Harp & Player Rejuvenator

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<quote>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 11:41:32 -0400
From: "Richard Olson" <CalSag1@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Ponce Dee Leon's Harp & Player Rejuvenator
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

Hey there all you clean livers with bad livers,
A few questions to those who actually might have tried this, no point in
reinventing the wheel:
It occurred to me that pure grain alcohol (180 proof & kind of
non-poisonous) might be a good solvent to use to disinfect/clean harmonicas
(especially harps that have been used by God knows who & infected with God
knows what). If I were to take an olive jar with a screw on cap that would
fit a harp, put an old nasty in it, fill it with the grain and just let it
set, then:
1) How long, tell me how long, should that harp set in that grain?
2) Wood it harm a wooden comb?
3) Would it harm the reeds?
4) Would it remove any protective coatings, anti-oxidants or lubricants or
I-don't-know-what-all that might could be factory installed?
5) Would adding a little detergent help?
6) Would adding a little silicone or something else, e.g.,  whale oil,
beeswax, Kool Aid, Uncle Jerry's Reed Lube, etc. be beneficial?
7) How many HPG's (harps per gallon) could I expect to get?
8) Would it be OK to drink the spent concoction or just send it to Yucca
Flats?
9) What would be a good name for such a drink/product?
I'm kinda leanin' towards "Ponce Dee Leon's Harp & Player Rejuvenator"
Help, I'm being held prisoner in a Chinese harp factory,
  --Cal Sag
</quote>

Hi,
  A fun email. :)
My suggestion for sanitising your instruments is a 50ml spray mister filled
with isopropyl alcohol.  You can buy isopropyl alcohol from drugstores and
chemists - they may ask you why you want it, and possibly take down your
details what with chrystal meth and such these days.
  Disassemble your instrument, give the compontents a quick spray, wait
about 20 seconds, flip all the components over and repeat. When dry gently
wipe off the residue with a clean clothe. It'll kill just about anything,
very quick and low risk to wood combs which will swell when soaked in any
liquid be it grain alcohol or molten bees wax.

Or you could make up some dark gooey solution with a fancy name ending in
the word "Tonic", immediately followed by a caption "Cures all that ails
ya'll." - then paint up a horse drawn wagon in garish colours & slogans and
trail around the states to pitching your sales, and selling your pitch.

-- G.