How to Refinish a French Horn

Over time, the lacquer of a French horn can become worn down and in need of refinishing. While many horn players take their instruments to professional repairers for this work, it can also be done at home with the right materials and techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Horn
• Tub or sink
• Paint stripper, such as Bix, or acetone
• Clean, lint-free cloth
• Latex gloves
• Lacquer (optional)
• Brush (not needed if using lacquer spray)

Instructions

1. Disassemble the French horn completely, removing all of the pistons and slides. Store the pistons and keys far away from water or other liquid materials.

2. 

   Fill the tub or sink with hot water, almost boiling. Place the horn in the water and let it soak for up to five hours. Most of any remaining lacquer will flake away and can be easily removed by rubbing with the lint-free cloth. If there is lacquer remaining on the horn after soaking it, use a small amount of paint stripper (such as Bix) or acetone (used for removing nail polish) with the lint-free cloth to remove it. Wear latex gloves when removing and applying lacquer.

3. Dry the outside of the horn and allow it to air dry completely. If the surface of the horn is in good condition and you like the "raw" look, leave it unlacquered. However, if it has small dings or spots of oxidation, if you plan to play outside or if it is a student instrument prone to taking damage, re-lacquering it will help protect the instrument.

4. 

   Brush a small amount of lacquer onto the outside surfaces of the horn using the brush or spray on lacquer if you are using lacquer spray. The layer of lacquer should be thin. Do not lacquer the parts of the slides or pistons that will go inside other parts of the horn.

5. Allow the lacquer to dry fully before reassembling the horn.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add a small amount of dishwashing liquid to the soaking process if the instrument is particularly dirty or oily.

• Always wear gloves when working with stripper or lacquer.

References

• The Gentleman's Gentleman's Guide To Cleaning Brass
• The Trombone Forum
• Raw versus Lacquer on Brass Instruments