[bradshawm]

I have never been one to swab out my horns after playing, but found out the hard way that it needs to be done with an unlaquered copper horn. There are a few spots inside the bell where corosion has started to set in and it is obviously where the spit ran down from inside.

What is the best way to remove it? Will something like brasso work, or will that just polish the metal around the corroded spots.

 

[milandro]

horns that are lacquered outside are not on the inside (the horns are not dipped in lacquer but sprayed ) except for the bell so the fact that you horn shows signs of oxidation hasn't got much to do with the fact that it was unlaquered in the first place. Having said that if you swab repeatedly your saxophone the worst of the " verdigris" will come off, if not you can use a brush wit some hard bristles and give it a very good brushing which should help remove the oxidation. Anyway even if you wouldn't do it it won't make a whole in your saxophone, it is not corrosion as you would find on the iron frame of a car.
By the way, it is not " spit" what you find in there " the amounts of real saliva are minimal) but pure and simple condensation , you are blowing hot and humid air into a metal tube that is much colder than the body temperature and the moisture in your breath, the same stuff you use to clean your spectacles if the are dirty, condenses.
Some minute traces of salts and bacteria could deposit over time if you never swab and could create some scaling but most " verdigris" is simply the reaction to a combination of moisture and the air.

Look at this video, especially around the 4:00 mark (before of that, they dip the body in chemicals to remove all sorts of dirt and impurities)

 

[14470]

Cool video, Milo. What a waste that Keilwerth has gone through so many troubles. Also, I noticed just before 1:20 what looks like one of the rare silver sonics. There was/is a member her that has one.

On topic, it is re-stating the obvious point that lacquered horns are not lacquered on the inside, which is exposed to 99% of the humidity. The oxidation is of no matter. Red rot is with rare exception red herring, and the rare instances where it represents a real problem, it doesn't matter whether the horn is/was lacquered or not.

To the OP, swap your sax and wipe any visible humidity from the outside after playing. I takes hardly any time. Otherwise leave the horn to oxidize. It will take on a beautiful dark patina, and become more resistant to stains or at least they will be less noticeable.

 

[bradshawm]

I have no problem with my horn changing color. What I am talking about looks and feels like rust. Are you saying it is not a problem?

 

[14470]

I have no problem with my horn changing color. What I am talking about looks and feels like rust. Are you saying it is not a problem?

With rare exceptions, that is what I am saying, i.e. not a problem. Leave it alone. Cheers.

 

[milandro]

you can clean it, but it is not a problem

 

[Borganiboy]

Your horn will out live us a few times over and still be tooting hard.

 

[14470]

As annoying as the spots with oxidation may seem, a couple of things to consider is that (a) once you start polishing up selected areas, they will stand out; (b) that most polishing agents will remove material if used repeatedly on the same site (likely not much a problem in reality); and (c) once the are a sufficiently number of oxidized areas juxtaposed, they will cancel one another out. Just my two cents, but I would use that attention to keeping the horn clean and oiled.