G-horns Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Okay, what do you use? I'm a brass guy, so I need some help here. Really don't want to remove the logo, but need to clean the plates as they are looking pretty crappy and haven't been cleaned since new. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iplaytimpani Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) Zildjian cymbal cleaner. Use a clean rag and rub it in. When the black nasty stuff starts to come up, use another clean rag to wipe that away. Do very small sections at a time. AVOID THE LOGO'S! Also there is no short cut to time. It's not a fast process. Edited February 12, 2009 by Iplaytimpani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Okay, what do you use? I'm a brass guy, so I need some help here. Really don't want to remove the logo, but need to clean the plates as they are looking pretty crappy and haven't been cleaned since new.Thanks in advance. Brasso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yeah. I've read elsewhere about avoiding the logos and I know an abrasive isn't good. I was hoping someone would offer up something that wouldn't take all day, since there are 5 sets to do and the kids are clueless at this age (6th grade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-Swiss Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Yeah. I've read elsewhere about avoiding the logos and I know an abrasive isn't good. I was hoping someone would offer up something that wouldn't take all day, since there are 5 sets to do and the kids are clueless at this age (6th grade). they've gotta learn. Time is the key with cymbals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I remember always feeling kind of bad for the plate guys in Madison, they had to give up 3/4 of their dinner break to clean their cyms. But God forbid you left a smudge or a blemish on either one, because that guy would pay for it the next day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-horns Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 they've gotta learn. Time is the key with cymbals Think about that a minute. Yes, they SHOULD learn. Unfortunately, being in 6th grade they'll learn that they don't want to play cymbals in 7th grade. I will get them involved with the cleaning process, but I'm not about to make it a bigger chore than following the horses with a shovel and bucket. I need to keep the desire there so that when they get a little older they'll still be interested in marching percussion. Unfortunately the high school program here is all seniority based with little regard for ability. Our center snare from last year moved to the high school and was given a pair of dirty cymbals with wooden handles for marching band. And don't get me started on the HS's four pitched basses that play unison on everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavie74 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 (edited) I used both Brasso and the Zildjian cymbal cleaner last summer with the Cavalier Alumni Corps and the Zildjian cymbal cleaner is superior in both results and ease of use. You have to let the Brasso dry before you buff it off and it took several passes to get the proper results. Buffing dry Brasso is a finger numbing chore. Both products are messy. Wear old clothes and be prepared to have black hands for a couple of days. I wouldn't "punish" the students with forcing them to polish the cymbals but I would emphasize careful handling of the cymbals once they're polished. I put the Zildjian product on a damp rag and buffed it in. Buff it in thoroughly to lift off the tarnish. You can tell when the finger prints and such have been removed - then switch to a clean dry cloth to lift the cleaner off of the cymbals. Don't wait for it to dry. That just makes the buffing harder. Brasso won't work trying to lift the product while still wet. I have successfully used "Rag-in-a Box" - those indestructable paper towels you can get in the automotive supply or warehouse clubs. Cotten rags work the best but launder them separate from your dress shirts. The Logo. I would recommend using that blue painter's masking tape to mask over the logo. Use an exacto knife to cut close to the logo. Leave some extra space covering beyond the logo because you will begin to lift the tape when your buffing rags hit it. Once you're satified that you've removed the polish, remove the tape and give the cymbals a quick buffing over the logo with your dry buffing towel to clean up the residue that collected near the edge of the tape. The Cavalier Alumni Corps Cymbal line was careful to avoid hitting the black paint with the cleaner and they were brand new cymbals on loan from Zildjian (thanks for the Zildjian hats too!) so the tarnish and finger prints were minimal. We didn't bother taping them because we didn't need to put that much effort into buffing them. If your cymbals are REALLY grungy I've got the equivalent of a nuclear bomb attack but forget about saving the logo paint. Let me know if you want to hear about it. Be prepared to change the pitch of your cymbals! Edited February 13, 2009 by Cavie74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniSopGuy Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I am curious about something. After putting all the work in to cleaning and polishing, to help prevent fingerprints, could you wax the cymbals using a pure carnuba wax or even a chrome protector? I am not talking about a cheap "turtle Wax", I am thinking about the high end show car waxes. Has anyone ever tried this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 never tried it, but I bet it would change the pitch, or become a problem if there was ever any riding done on the cym with a stick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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