poll: Black tarnish on a 100+ year old silver tuba [update: polishing pics!]

[arpthark]

This is a nice little European BBb tuba probably made around the turn of the century. No maker name, 14"-ish bell.

It is silver and 95% covered in dark, splotchy black tarnish.

Polish it up a bit or leave it? I'm thinking that the tarnish is at least somewhat uniform and polishing would highlight some flaws. But that tarnish is ugly and turns my hands black.

related: recommended silver polish for a big job like this? I use a cream stuff for mouthpieces but that would be lot of wasted effort if there is something that can wipe on/off easier.

[bort2.0]

Tarn X to remove the tarnish. It's tough stuff, so don't let it sit too long. The reaction with the tarnish smells like sulfur, too. Gross.

Follow up with silver cream.. tarn X will not protect at all, and it'll re-tarnish quickly. Silver cream buys you a little time.

A lot of work either way.

I did this on two tubas last year, my 1895 Conn Eb and the Martin Medium Eb. The Conn looked like what you have there... This is the "after". It's still a wreck, but at least the awesome engraving can still be appreciated.




The Martin was always in really nice shape, and shined up so shiny it was hard to take a picture that looked like anything. It's also satin silver, which -- maybe it's all in my head -- seemed "different" to polish. Inside of the bell is shiny as anything I've ever had... And this tuba is almost 100 years old!

So I vote to let that old tuba have a chance to shine once more.

[arpthark]

Lovely engraving! I forget that Conn once had ties to Worcester... just up the road from me.

Thank you for the encouragement. I am leaning toward just biting the bullet and cleaning this thing this weekend. It's a nice little tuba. It looks like the 4th valve was once a two-whole step combo (@York-aholic) that has been extended, so it is probably closer to 100 years old.

It was described to me before acquisition as an "old rattle trap" but, with a little TLC it will turn out really nice I think. Valve compression is still really nice. Stay tuned in the Repair forum!

[bloke]

Leave it black, and black out “MiraFone”.

[arpthark]

Leave it black, and black out “MiraFone”.

I paid extra on this one to disable all advertisements.

[the elephant]

Tarn-X, as described above, followed by a good rubdown with 3M Tarni-Shield. (Tarni-Shield has changed owners several times since the 1980s when I first learned about it. I am not sure the formula is still the same now that it is a Scotch-Guard product, but I am sure it still contains tarnish inhibitors, so the shine job ought to last for a while.)

Remove the bad stuff with the Tarn-X, then use the Tarni-Shield as needed.

I also toss a few of those 3M strips into the case or bag if the horn will not get used for a while. Hagarty's are also pretty good.

https://www.amazon.com/Jelmar-Tarn-X-Ta ... B0716HLKPG

https://www.amazon.com/Scotchgard-Tarni ... B01M037TXD

https://www.amazon.com/Hagerty-70000-7- ... B000J2VCJW

[Three Valves]

Make inside the bell and engravings clean, see how it looks.

If it doesn't look good, strip the whole thing.

Is there someplace where one can dunk it??

[arpthark]

Is there someplace where one can dunk it??

Just tore down the old junky 24' above-ground pool in our backyard... missed opportunity.