Hi. I am refurbing a c-melody sax which came with an original mp. It tastes revolting. I have read that this is carcinogenic.
Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive (brass/silver polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views first and then go and buy a new mp!
PeterL

  Polishing helps get rid of the taste but doesn't completely eliminate it. I have also tried the method of rubbing it with  olive oil using  0000 steel wool. Perhaps to get rid of all of it you would have to remove a lot of material and possibly affect the playing of the mouthpiece.
   I have not heard that this is carcinogenic. I know that it is due to the rubber having an affinity for reacting with chlorine molecules in the air and chlorinated  water. Sunlight accelerates the process so rubber  mouthpieces played outside get greener looking and fouler tasting, though I have seen green mouthpieces that did not have a foul taste. so the composition of the rubber must be a factor.
  Peter

This html message parsed with html2text ---------------------------Sun fade and hot water washing will breakdown the surface of a mouthpiece. The
sulphur content in the rubber can be tasted when this occurs. Soaking in
vinegar will remedy the taste of milder cases of decay. Refinishing will
remedy the more advanced cases. \\--- pfdeley@yahoo.com wrote: From: Peter
Deley  To: "MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com"  Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Re:
Nasty Mouthpiece Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:39:27 -0800 (PST) Polishing helps
get rid of the taste but doesn't completely eliminate it. I have also tried
the method of rubbing it with olive oil using 0000 steel wool. Perhaps to get
rid of all of it you would have to remove a lot of material and possibly
affect the playing of the mouthpiece. I have not heard that this is
carcinogenic. I know that it is due to the rubber having an affinity for
reacting with chlorine molecules in the air and chlorinated water. Sunlight
accelerates the process so rubber mouthpieces played outside get greener
looking and fouler tasting, though I have seen green mouthpieces that did not
have a foul taste. so the composition of the rubber must be a factor. Peter *
* * Netscape. Just the Net You Need.

Hi Peter,

Paul Coates has had success with a motorcycle face shield polish.  I use 
an automotive headlight lens restoration kit. Both of these are readily 
available @ most of the  large auto parts stores.  The minor amount of 
abrading that these do to the EXterior of the mouthpiece should not 
affect the sound.  Of course, with a C melody you might _want_ to affect 
the sound! :-)

Robert

On 12/21/2011 10:50 AM, PeterL wrote:
>
> Hi. I am refurbing a c-melody sax which came with an original mp. It 
> tastes revolting. I have read that this is carcinogenic.
> Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive 
> (brass/silver polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
> I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views 
> first and then go and buy a new mp!
> PeterL
>
> 

Someone (Paul C?) had recommended trying Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

DT

On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 12:14 PM, <gregwier@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Sun fade and hot water washing will breakdown the surface of a
> mouthpiece.  The sulphur content in the rubber can be tasted when this
> occurs.  Soaking in vinegar will remedy the taste of milder cases of
> decay.   Refinishing will remedy the more advanced cases.
>
> --- pfdeley@... wrote:
>
> From: Peter Deley <pfdeley@...>
> To: "MouthpieceWork@...m" <MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Re: Nasty Mouthpiece
> Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:39:27 -0800 (PST)
>
>
>     Polishing helps get rid of the taste but doesn't completely eliminate
> it. I have also tried the method of rubbing it with  olive oil using  0000
> steel wool. Perhaps to get rid of all of it you would have to remove a lot
> of material and possibly affect the playing of the mouthpiece.
>    I have not heard that this is carcinogenic. I know that it is due to
> the rubber having an affinity for reacting with chlorine molecules in the
> air and chlorinated  water. Sunlight accelerates the process so rubber
>  mouthpieces played outside get greener looking and fouler tasting, though
> I have seen green mouthpieces that did not have a foul taste. so the
> composition of the rubber must be a factor.
>   Peter
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Netscape.  Just the Net You Need.
>
>  
>

  That sounds like it could . I had a  kit used to take the scratches out of ski goggles  that was great for polishing and mild abrading. It must be the same kind of stuff that Paul uses.  I also have  some Meguiar's Scratch X  for cars. This seems to lay down a light film on the surface which might also work, though I prefer to  remove the film after applying in case the stuff is a skin irritant. To replace my used up ski goggle abrasive I have just bought some Hut Ultra Gloss meant for polishing plastics.it was recommended by a wood working specialty store. I don't  know yet whether this will be a worthy replacement. It does not have  a skin irritant  warning which is reassuring.            Peter

As long as you wash it thoroughly to remove any traces of the polish it
should be OK. I've also used fine steel wool on pieces as you describe with
no ill effects.

Tony F.

From: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of PeterL
Sent: Thursday, 22 December 2011 3:50 AM
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Nasty Mouthpiece

 

  

Hi. I am refurbing a c-melody sax which came with an original mp. It tastes
revolting. I have read that this is carcinogenic.
Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive (brass/silver
polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views first
and then go and buy a new mp!
PeterL

In my previous reply I was assuming that you had a metal mouthpiece. If it's
a hard rubber one then use cold water. If you put a hard rubber item in warm
water the rubber reacts with the chlorine molecules and causes a change of
surface colour. The revolting taste is probably sulphur, used in the
vulcanising purpose. It migrates to the surface of the piece and then
oxidises. If you use the steel wool method, when you've removed the
discoloration give it a rub with beeswax to restore the colour.

Tony F.

 

From: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of PeterL
Sent: Thursday, 22 December 2011 3:50 AM
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Nasty Mouthpiece

 

  

Hi. I am refurbing a c-melody sax which came with an original mp. It tastes
revolting. I have read that this is carcinogenic.
Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive (brass/silver
polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views first
and then go and buy a new mp!
PeterL

I clean my hard rubber/synthetic pieces with pre-polish lapidary grit and water.  No chemicals to worry about.  It's available at your local hobby shop.

--- On Wed, 12/21/11, Tony Fairbridge <tfairbri@....au> wrote:

From: Tony Fairbridge <tfairbri@...>
Subject: RE: [MouthpieceWork] Nasty Mouthpiece
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 10:33 PM

As long as you wash it thoroughly to remove any traces of the polish it should be OK. I’ve also used fine steel wool on pieces as you describe with no ill effects.Tony F.From: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of PeterL
Sent: Thursday, 22 December 2011 3:50 AM
To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MouthpieceWork] Nasty Mouthpiece    Hi. I am refurbing a c-melody sax which came with an original mp. It tastes revolting. I have read that this is carcinogenic.
Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive (brass/silver polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views first and then go and buy a new mp!
PeterL

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, dan torosian <dantorosian@...> wrote:
>
> Someone (Paul C?) had recommended trying Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
> 
> DT

Yes, first scrub the mouthpiece under a stream of water with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  This is a microcell sponge with some type of abrasive in it used for bathroom cleaning.  When finished you should have the brown, green, or orange oxidation removed, but the mouthpiece will still have a dull appearance.

Now hand polish with a good plastic polish such as Scratch Off (used for Plexiglas and other acrylic windshields and helmet face shields, headlight lenses, etc).  Some have had good success with Flitz Metal Polish.  Yes, polish by hand with a soft cloth, not a buffing wheel or Dremel tool.  Keep well away from powered tools!!!

It will not look new, but when the polishing is complete it will look far better than it did before.

Paul C.

After you clean with a Magic Eraser under cold water, then polish with Scratch Out, Seal it with a Wax, just like a car's finish. Use Burt Bee's Wax or Walgreen's equivalent. Or use pure carnuba wax. Do this inside and out and it will stay fresher looking and crud comes off easier.

But after that, get a new C melody mouthpiece from Runyon, (Paul C is a dealer). You will be MUCH happier with tuning and using tenor reeds. 
E v e r e t t F i d l e r

 
> --- On Wed, 12/21/11, Tony Fairbridge <tfairbri@...> wrote:
> 
> From: Tony Fairbridge <tfairbri@...>
> Subject: RE: [MouthpieceWork] Nasty Mouthpiece
> To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 10:33 PM
> 

> Has anybody tried polishing the outside with a mild abrasive (brass/silver polish?) to remove a minute layer of the oxidised surface.
> I have nothing to lose by trying but thought I would get your views first and then go and buy a new mp!
> PeterL
>