Posted by js on April 16, 2003 at 07:28:52:
I've come across this problem more often that I care to recall:
Morons occasionally put VEGETABLE OIL on the pistons (or rotors) of brass instruments!
Of course, this stuff decays (as it is organic), stinks, and (worst of all) degrades into a cement-like substance that just about glues the entire instrument together on the inside.
When folks bring in instruments like this, I refuse to work on them - unless they were bought or rented from me - because of the horrible smell and the nuisance. If I do work on them, I charge a premium price.
HERE'S MY QUESTION: As this stuff is organic, solvents really don't "cut" it...except maybe (I have not tried, for obvious reasons) paint stripper (??). The only thing that I've found that offers any degree of success is to flush VERY VERY VERY hot and high velocity water through these instruments to break down the putrified and hardened oil. Of course, this is not the safest thing to do - risking having the hose slip and burning myself (again, I refuse to work on others' instruments in this condition. Further, I won't let my employees put themselves at risk.).
Do any of you repair dudes (dudettes) live in cities where folks are stupid enough to do this? If so, have you found any other solutions - other than flushing with extremely hot water for a long period of time?
Joe "I thought Memphis was the capital city of 'stupid', but I just bought an instrument from Germany in this condition." S.