[buddy lee]

Hi All, I recently acquired a horn with silver plated bell and keys. This is my first silver plate horn, and I'm wondering what I can do to remove water spots that accumulate. I've been wiping the horn off after I play as best I can, but they still persist.

Is it safe to use a silver polishing cloth when needed? Thanks for your tips!

 

[JayeLID]

Keep wiping after playing. I find Blitz cloths to be useful in keeping silverplate looking good. Indeed on a horn where water accumulation is regular and persists in particular areas, those areas will probably spot fairly regularly. So try to find a 'happy medium' where the intensity and frequency of the spots remain acceptable to you and don't overdo it.

You could go to a paste polish (Hagerty Silver Polish or Hagerty 100, for example) and give that a shot, because wet polishes do leave a residue on the metal and that residue can offer some add'l protection sometimes. The issue with the silver polishes is, if you try to use this only in particular areas, then those areas will be 'cleaner' and shinier than other areas...so generally when you commit to a polish, you do the whole enchilada....

 

[Dr G]

Are you sure that it is not lacquered over the silver plate? If so, then yes, a silver polish cloth will cause damage.

For general care, a silver polish cloth is great. I periodically supplement care with Hagerty Silversmith’s Polish, of which there are at least two kinds, creme and spray. The creme has an oil in it that leaves a protective film on the finish, but that film also makes it a little less sparkly. The spray can be applied to a cloth (I use microfiber), then wiped on accessible areas.

Enjoy the horn!

 

[JayeLID]

Good point. I HATE it when mfr's lacquer their plating.....

 

[John Kotches]

I use Renaissance Wax over silver plate on my vintage soprano after polishing, with hagerty spray ( for disassembly) or hagerty 100 (quick touch ups).

This works for me.

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk

 

[buddy lee]

Are you sure that it is not lacquered over the silver plate? If so, then yes, a silver polish cloth will cause damage.

For general care, a silver polish cloth is great. I periodically supplement care with Hagerty Silversmith's Polish, of which there are at least two kinds, creme and spray. The creme has an oil in it that leaves a protective film on the finish, but that film also makes it a little less sparkly. The spray can be applied to a cloth (I use microfiber), then wiped on accessible areas.

Enjoy the horn!

I'm thinking it's lacquered over. Regardless, I could use pledge to clean it either way right?

 

[Dr G]

I'm thinking it's lacquered over. Regardless, I could use pledge to clean it either way right?

I doubt that it will remove any tarnish, but I don't know whether it will accelerate it. Beyond that, I doubt that it would cause any harm.

 

[buddy lee]

I doubt that it will remove any tarnish, but I don't know whether it will accelerate it. Beyond that, I doubt that it would cause any harm.

I don't have tarnish just water spots

 

[lostcircuits]

Use https://www.fastwax.com/, you can use it for your windows and stove top as well, just in case. Best stuff I've ever found.

 

[saxoclese]

If the silver finish just has "water marks" then a silver polish or polish cloth is not the solution. I use Lemon Pledge to remove fingerprints and "water marks" on lacquered and plated instrument all the time and it is quite effective. If the marks have a high mineral content from hard water, a glass cleaner with ammonia might also be required. The Cannonball black nickel plated saxes I frequently work on are attractive, but like a car with a black finish, they show every mark and blemish.

If a silver plated saxophone is beginning to tarnish, I don't recommend using a paste or even liquid polish when the keys are still installed due to the difficulty of removing the polish that gets under and between the keys. A Haggerty's silver polish cloth in the "areas you can reach" is about as much as you can do without disassembling the instrument. For overhauls I always use Haggerty Silversmith's Spray Polish. Once the spray dries to a pink haze I "hand rag" the surface using strips of cotton flannel cloth, and detail with cotton gloves and Q-tips. It is very handy to have a wooden assembly mandrel mounted in a vice to hold the instrument for this procedure. A tip I learned from Matt Stohrer is to wash the saxophone thoroughly after polishing with Haggertys because no amount of ragging removes all of the black residue that can get on the player's hands and clothes. You do lose the "tarnish shield ingredient" contained in the product, but keeping the instrument in its case when not being played with anti-tarnish strips or sachets can be just as effective IMO.

 

[JayeLID]

I don't have tarnish just water spots

Can you post a pic ?

 

[motteatoj]

I use Renaissance Wax over silver plate on my vintage soprano after polishing, with hagerty spray ( for disassembly) or hagerty 100 (quick touch ups).

This works for me.

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk

+1 Renaissance Wax
There is no better shine or longer protection.
Polishing cloth for when I'm lazy in between.

 

[Dr G]

I don't have tarnish just water spots

I take care of those with a damp microfiber cloth.

 

[buddy lee]

Can you post a pic ?

I can later, sure.

 

[Saxaholic]

Use a microfiber cloth for water spots. Easy as can be. Also be sure to let the horn dry with the case opened after you play.

- Saxaholic

 

[JL]

I don't have tarnish just water spots

Just use a damp cloth first, then follow up with a dry cloth. That should remove water spots easily.

Are you sure the horn is lacquered over the silver plate? What brand horn is it?

 

[buddy lee]

Just use a damp cloth first, then follow up with a dry cloth. That should remove water spots easily.

Are you sure the horn is lacquered over the silver plate? What brand horn is it?

B&S Medusa

 

[JL]

B&S Medusa

I'm not familiar with those horns, but maybe someone on here knows if they lacquered over the silver plate. Or you could contact one of their dealers and ask. It would be good to know because as already mentioned, if it's lacquered then using a silver polishing cloth won't work.

 

[turf3]

Of my 10 saxophones and flutes, I have 5 silver plated and 5 lacquered brass (with varying degrees of lacquer loss from "very little" to "pretty much 100% bare brass". I never do any kind of polishing to any of them and they all look OK. Polishing horns is a lot of time for very little return. You could consider switching over to my "benign neglect" finish maintenance regimen.

Silver horns will turn grey in the areas where you don't touch them and will remain shiny where you do. Personally I think that is a more interesting and appealing aesthetic than having the whole thing look like it just came out of the plating vat.