How to Polish a French Horn

Most French horns have a lacquered brass finish with nickel-plated valve keys and trim.

Although the performance and tone of a French horn relates to how well the owner cares for the instrument's internal components, resale value (and pride of ownership) tend to depend more heavily on cosmetic factors. Most French horns are made of lacquered brass with nickle-plated trim. To beautify your French horn and prevent corrosion, it is important to apply the proper polishing techniques to the right areas. You'll likely be working with three different finishes: highly reflective lacquered brass, dull yellow brass where the lacquer has rubbed off, and silver-colored trim at the joints and valves--areas that are frequently exposed to the oils of your hands.

Things You'll Need

• Gentle cleaning detergent
• Soft cloths
• Lacquer polish
• Lightly abrasive metal polish

Instructions

1. Wipe down the instrument with soapy, lukewarm water to remove any grease or dirt. Be very careful not to get the cushioning pads of the valves wet, as this may cause them to expand and malfunction. Rinse off the instrument by wiping it down again with a wet cloth and drying it thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth. At no point should hot water come in contact with the instrument's lacquered surfaces.

2. With a soft cloth, gently buff all of the horn's surfaces. Apply a liquid instrument lacquer polish, which can be purchased online or at your local music shop, to a clean cloth, and spread it evenly over the glossy yellow brass surfaces. Polish and rub it off according to the manufacturer instructions. A popular alternative to liquid lacquer polish is instrument polishing cloths that are sold at instrument retailers. They have polishing chemicals infused into the cloth and, thus, cannot be reused if laundered.

3. Apply a lightly abrasive metal polish to the silver-colored nickel trim. Polish these surfaces according to the polish manufacturer instructions. There are several varieties of metal polish, and those that are made for chrome wheels work particularly well. Be very careful to not get any metal polish on the lacquered brass surfaces as this will likely mar the finish.

4. Polish the brass parts on which the lacquer has rubbed off with a brass metal polish. You also can use the same polish that you used for the silver-colored trim. Only attempt to polish the raw brass areas if they are sufficiently large to work on without spreading metal polish onto the existing lacquered sections. Generally, it's not worth attempting to polish raw brass speckles as this will only worsen the appearance of the horn.

5. Consider having your French horn professionally relacquered if the finish is in particularly bad condition. This is an expensive procedure, typically costing several hundred dollars. Thus, it rarely makes good financial sense unless the French horn is particularly valuable.

6. 

   Some French horns are plated in silver rather than lacquered.

   Substitute silver polish for French horns that have a silver-plated finish. Silver horns are far less common and are not lacquered. There are a variety of chemicals to address silver tarnish specifically.

Tips & Warnings

• While lacquer polish is seldom helpful for silver-colored trim, it won't damage it.

• When it comes to caring for your Franch horn, the best cure is prevention. To avoid lacquer corrosion, wipe all fingerprints and smudges off of the finish of the horn before putting it back into its case.

• Instrument lacquer is a relatively delicate finish. Exposure to harsh chemicals and water that is hot to the touch will cause it to flake off or lose its luster.

References

• Dollar Hide's Music Center: Brass Instruments With Rotors Maintenance Guidelines
• Blitz: How to Clean and Care for Brass
• Horn Hospital: Instrument Care