RE: [Harp-L] Is Kaboom still safe?

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks  to all for the info. This site is great!
Yep, I saw the JR youtube and thought that I would give it a try on a box of old harps that I found in my shop. Many of them are good examples of things like Vest Pockets (high G and A), Old Standbys (old version), Echo Harps, 2 prototypes, a bass harp and other out of production or unusual stuff that I thought merited spending some time on. Now that I know what I know, many of them are going to be trashed and some are repairable but gunky and I am talking old gunk. I did buy a bottle of Kaboom and Bar Keeper's Friend and last night I started with Huang Silvertone Deluxe as a test. The gunk came off and the harp sounds ok for what it is but there was a weird aftertaste even after a 2nd cleaning with just 91% alcohol. So, I think I will trash it and steer away from Kaboom for fear of the chemical. I'll use the Kaboom for the toilet.
I think I will try the Bar Keeper's Friend just to see what happens. When I gig I drink water and if I feel like having a drink, I drink Scotch on the rocks. My full time music days are behind me now but there was a stretch of 15 years where I was playing as much as Jason. Of course I'm no where near being as good as him but I did a lot of road work where a quick cleaning in hotel rooms was required and part of my routine. Rooming with a drummer that likes to clean cymbals is the worst. What a smell!
My usual cleaning is hot water, maybe alcohol, maybe Dawn depending on wood vs plastic and how bad the gunk is and if it's a "touch up" or a complete overhaul where tuning is required. I might try the Simple Green too.
Thanks to all who replied.Buck

> CC: boogalloo@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> From: harpwrench@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Is Kaboom still safe?
> Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 08:53:15 -0500
> To: mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> The whole Kaboom fad started when JR posted the mongoose method for cleaning your harps video, after I told him I used it on his harps. There are a few things about his situation at that time that most won't have to deal with, requiring an aggressive solution (pun intended). 
> 
> First off he played a LOT, every hole every harp 300+ gigs a year I believe. Can we guess how many packs of smokes and cans of Red Bull that is? Those who saw him live know what I'm saying. 
> 
> So he had a couple dozen of my customs plus a few from others and himself, that would quickly turn into a nasty green disaster from all the chemistry going on. He needed a quick thorough way to maintain all those instruments while on the road, because cleaning them with other strategies wasn't getting the green out and was so time consuming that he was dangerously sleep deprived. Bring on more Red Bull and nicotine!
> 
> Kaboom dissolves the green yuck in about 30 seconds, back it up with some toothpaste to remove any chemical taste and move on. 
> 
> I don't suggest nor use this sort of thing (or denture tablets either), but it was necessary evil. You need to remember I'd also be the one getting a box of blown harps every few weeks, full of green yuck and needing repaired/overnighted to the next stop on the road! 
> 
> Moral of the story is try to play with a clean mouth if you can. I have harps in the hands of gigging/touring pros who are nearly as active but their harps are unusually clean at service time. When quizzed about it they told me they always brush their teeth before a gig and only drink water! 
> 
> This isn't a slam on JR- he's one of my favorite humans...it's just rock n roll!
> 
> Joe 
> http://www.spiersharmonicas.com
> 
> On Aug 28, 2013, at 7:42 AM, Mike Wilbur <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Buck my humble opinion is that although Kaboom and other strong caustic cleaners make
> > Brass and copper " shiny " ....that it is not necessary to maintain Harps...we just want them clean.
> > Simple Green may be an option.
> > I use dish washing liquid ( Dawn ) because it's used to clean up Oil Spill animal and birds with
> > Less harm to the animals  than many other detergents.
> > I also hear good things about fizzy denture tablets....that sounds like a good bet also.
> > 
> > I would prefer to stay away from strong solvents....again JMHO
> > 
> > 
> > Mike Wilbur
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On Aug 28, 2013, at 3:58 AM, Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> > 
> >> I see that like so many other cleaning agents Kaboom now has Oxi Clean and I noticed that on the back of the bottle it says do not use on brass. What is the recommendation for cleaner these days?Buck Worley                         
> >