Chromatic Slide Oil
Sat, 10/24/2015 - 07:58
Hello Winslow, and everybody who reads this.
I've been playing a few years Seydel Saxony, Hohner CX12, Chromatix series from Suzuki.
After cleaning all the harmonicas, the saxony still feels really smooth on the slide action, as the cx12, they feel like butter.
On the other hard, SCX's ... after the maintenence and cleaning the slide feels a little different, more raspy, i guess is because when is new it comes with a little bit of oil in the slide. Do I need to oil the slide again for the smooth feeling? And what kind of oil?
thanks
Sun, 10/25/2015 - 10:56
#2
Thanks Ill try Vaseline....
Thanks Ill try Vaseline.... And Water
Thanks Winslow!
Greetings from Mexico
Lubricants can creep into the harmonica and gum up the valves and even the reeds. Service techs confirm this. Water is your best lubricant.
If your slide feels raspy, you might try smoothing the slide. Slides are punched, not milled, and the edges around the holes can have raised and even sharp surfaces. Some repair techs recommend smoothing the slide by scrubbing with 000 grade steel wool, or even breaking the edges of the holes with a fine file (this is a lot of work).
You can also check the inside of the mouthpiece (where the slide moves) for any irregularities. However, sanding this could increase the clearance around the slide and make the assembly leakier. There'a a fix for that, too, but maybe that's for a longer post on that topic.
You can also flat sand the plastic front surface of the comb, although to do this you need to remove the slide spring. In any case, check it for scratches or wear caused by irregularities in the slide surface.
Suzuki has a slide oil but it's not sold in the US. Meanwhile, Brendan Power has a video out where he slathers the slide with Vaseline. I was surprised to see this because I know the problems this can cause. If you do use a lubricant, make sure to wipe off 95% of it.