Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Can I Refinish a Trombone?
Q. I am refinishing a brass trombone. As the article about the brass lamps pertains, would this process also apply to my trombone. I would like to polish it to a very high gloss finish before re-painting it. Do you think that "jeweler's rouge
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] " would do the trick? What products can I use to polish it to a high gloss by hand without jeweler's rouge?
Would a spray paint work such as "Krylon" or something like that? What would you suggest?
Thanks, I'm looking forward to your suggestions.
- Amarillo, Texas
A. Yes, David, you can polish it with any metal polish, like Nevr-Dull
⇦ this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links]
, for example, I think the rouge will work for scratch removal, but the "by hand" may not :-)
Removing a scratch actually means removing all the metal around it so the scratch becomes a gentle gradual valley rather than a canyon. And you are trying to remove all that metal with an abrasive that is so fine that it cannot make deep scratches itself. A buffing wheel on your electric drill may require patience and experience, but allows more hope of getting the job done in this lifetime.
I would suggest brass lacquer rather than spray paint. For one thing, it's made for brass. For another, it's easily removable with acetone
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon
[affil links] Warning! highly Flammable!
, whereas removing paints and clearcoats can be problematical. Good luck.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. My son is in his first year of band and has decided to play the trombone. He goes to a private school and the instruments are provided by the school. Some of them are in need of repair including the one he is borrowing. I would like to do something nice for the school and refinish it. It has many deep scratches and rub marks along with tarnishing and discoloration. How do I go about this and is it a long process? My funds are limited, is it an expensive process? Any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance !
Patricia Campbellmother of up and coming musician - Puyallup, Washington, USA
2007
A. Patricia,
Generally you will need to polish the metal with something such as Brasso
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] ; however you must first determine if the metal has been sealed with some sort of clear sealer such as lacquer (a common metal sealer). If the metal has been sealed you must remove the sealer prior to polishing unless you want to work really really hard (as opposed to just really hard) after removing the sealer with a solvent such as lacquer thinner
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon
[affil links] Warning! highly flammable!
) and a towel/T-shirt type cloth.
The deep scratches are another matter altogether. I would recommend you take the instrument to someone familiar with instruments and find out if the scratches must be professionally removed (sometimes what appears to be really deep/bad isn't all that bad if you know some professional type tricks of the trade or have the proper equipment -- buffing wheels, etc.)
Once you have polished the instrument seal it with a clear lacquer (fast drying) such as Krylon clear [Krylon 1301
[affil links]
].
- Palm Springs, California, USA
2003
Q. I see trombone refinishing was the subject of a previous question. Should it be done? I would love to remove the tarnish and apply a new lacquer finish. However, I have been warned against using metal cleaners on a brass instrument (possibly due to some intact lacquer finish?). Can anybody give me the benefit of their experience?
Lonn Jay Bradley- Charleston, South Carolina
A. Should be done by a pro - easy to ruin your horn - both cosmetically and possibly mechanically.
Jon Bone- Chicago, Illinois, USA
December 9, 2012
"Clearcoats/Lacquers for Brass from G.J. Nikolas"
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