Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Cleaning harmonicas

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Larry:
 
Brasso's a bit harsh to use on reed plates even if you're super careful  
(and even the British Brasso which I grew up using, imo). It was one of my 
many  chores as a kid to polish 'everything' so I guess I'm stuck always  
preferring a gleaming brass finish. Seems you too like brass to look its  
best.<G> What I like about MAAS is that it works on ALL metals as well  as 
plexiglas and glass, so won't harm or scratch. Just the tiniest amount  (on the tip 
of an orange stick--for example), and then rubbed around the entire  edges 
of the reed plates reapplying as necessary and buffing with a  cloth-wrapped 
orange stick. I use small pieces cut out of old white t-shirts or  Scott's 
Raggs for polishing and spend a LOT of time buffing so the shine does  tend 
to last. Best I've found. 
 
Simichrome seems to be fairly similar to MAAS (based on other people's  
description), but I'm happy with this since I also use it on most of my  
jewelry. 
 
 
I polished up somebody's 280 chromatic at a SPAH 3 or so years ago --just  
to show him how well it worked (and how much better his chromatic could look 
and  play 'unstuck') and drew a small crowd outside the Hotel who were 
quite  impressed. For my own personal taste I always wipe down with alcohol 
afterwards  and have even followed occasionally with slightly soapy  water with 
rinsing and drying immediately (on disassembled parts). Water  tends to bead 
up on the finish once it's buffed sufficiently. So MAAS protects  the 
undersides of the cover plates from any further rusting--even those  which 
previously had such issues. 
 
 
Works for me--your mileage may vary. Haven't tried the Liquid Glass which  
sounds intriguing!
 
Elizabeth
 
PS: Could one follow the Kaboom with Dawn as a follow-up to remove the last 
 vestiges of the taste? One product to dissolve the caked-on 'gunk' and the 
 other to clean up the rest?  Remember too, Jason's harps got far  more of 
a work-out in a week than most other players' instruments do in  months.
 
"Message: 9
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2012 06:14:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Larry  Sandy <slyou65@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Cleaning  harmonicas
To: Roger Beck <beckmeister1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l _harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 

I also took Jason's advice and bought and used KaBoom. I considered it a  
big mistake because it left a terrible taste, even after extensive rinsing in 
 water and alcohol. I use Dawn quite successfully sometimes following with 
an  ultrasonic cleaner. If it is good enough for my skillets and crystals 
then it is  good enough for my Hohners, Seydels, Suzukis and self-mades. 

My new  ultrasonic cleaner is a disappointment, even after several full 
cycles of use.  Even using various cleaner additives to it. It does sterilize 
thoroughly.  

I have polished the brass with buffers then treated with Liquid Glass  
successfully. Reeds do not like being buffed, believe me. LOL. Liquid Glass  
leaves a super thin coating so I don't notice it changing the pitch of my reeds 
 after being wiped off. LG is available at automotive supplies stores.

I  like using Brasso on extremely oxidized brass (including the reeds) but 
the  European Brasso is much better than what is available in America.  

Nothing that I know of will keep brass shiny forever but MAAS is on my  
shopping list. As is Fritz.

Lockjaw Larry
Breathing Music and cleaning  fumes daily."