RE: [Harp-L] slide lubricant

[Steve Shaw <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

I always find this an interesting topic, even though I play mostly diatonic harps ( I do use chroms in D or G for a few of my Irish tunes, however). On the few occasions I've bought a new chrom, usually of the 270 ilk, I've found that, from new, the slide generally works well. So if it stops working well, and I haven't fiddled with it, I reckon it has to do with something that comes out of my gob.  So I reckon that the hot water method, which will dissolve most nasties from my mouth, and which does not require the dismantling of the harp, has simply got to be the first resort. I do like to make life easy!
 
> After I take my mouthpiece assemblies apart and scrub them with a toothbrush using Simple Green detergent, I rub the slide parts with crocus cloth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_cloth) then wax and polish them with Johnson's Paste Floor Wax.  This leaves a very thin, hard, dry, invisible coating.  There is so little wax present that it can do no harm.  I believe that it has a slight lubricating effect.  Mainly it suppresses the tendency to stick and postpones the necessity to clean again.
> 
> Because it isn't oil, it doesn't violate Tate's rule.  
> 
> Vern
>   
> On Dec 6, 2012, at 3:17 PM, MundHarp@xxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> > That is EXACTLY what the late great Douglas Tate always said... His advice  
> > to me was "never oil the slide on a chromatic!"
> > Probably good advice...
> > John "Whiteboy" Walden
> > Just now in bonnie Scotland.
> > 
> > 
> > In a message dated 12/2/2012 12:53:26 A.M. GMT Standard Time, moorcot  
> > writes:
> > 
> > <<Assuming a 270-type slide setup, this is what I do, and I  haven't had a 
> > sticky slide in years. Fill a dinner plate or shallow bowl with  pretty hot 
> > water, no more than about half an inch deep. Invert the harp,  mouthpiece 
> > down, in the water and work the slide back and forth vigorously for  about 
> > half a minute. Remove harp, keeping it strictly mouthpiece down, and  give it a 
> > damn good tapping/shaking out. Allow to dry overnight, mouthpiece  down. 
> > Repeat after every long night's playing. Et voila!  Naturally, no  advice is 
> > good advice...>>
> 
> 
>