Slide

jpwell · Post by **jpwell** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:00 pm

So after watching the slide DR vids I got a thought. Sometimes my slides feel like they have gravel in them even after a trip thru the bath tub with a snake.

What if you used a shotgun cleaning cotton mop and brasso to polish the inside of the outer tube.
Any problems doing that?

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:25 pm

I do it all the time.

Okay, not all the time -- but now and then. I started this when I saw Doug Elliott mention it. I don't actually use a shotgun swab (what gauge? 28? Maybe .410 for a tenor?), but I do use .50 cal gun cleaning patches. And then rinse thoroughly (and thoroughly, and thoroughly). And then I run alcohol swabs through it, and then rinse again, etc. I also made a special "rod" out of 1/4" PVC (by putting a slot in one end) for this purpose, instead of using the metal rod.

It does work.

MAliesch · Post by **MAliesch** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:59 am

One option if it's scaled or corroded on the inside from sitting for years without being cleaned first, it's good to fill the outer with distilled vinegar and let it sit overnight, provided there are no leaks. Follow that up with your usual bath and snake, and play it for a couple days, swabbing it each time to get everything clean.

If that doesn't do the trick...

I've used brasso/other polish on some brass outer slides with good results. You really want to get it all cleaned out afterwards before you put the slide back together. Rinse and wash multiple times. I just use a regular cleaning rod and clean cloth, but don't use the same cloth again for regular cleaning.

I've never tried it on nickle slide tubes, I don't know if there would be different precautions.

Post by **Doug Elliott** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:48 am

Brasso is really hard to wash out.

Post by **Neo Bri** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 1:06 pm

MAliesch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:59 am One option if it's scaled or corroded on the inside from sitting for years without being cleaned first, it's good to fill the outer with distilled vinegar and let it sit overnight, provided there are no leaks. Follow that up with your usual bath and snake, and play it for a couple days, swabbing it each time to get everything clean.

If that doesn't do the trick...

I've used brasso/other polish on some brass outer slides with good results. You really want to get it all cleaned out afterwards before you put the slide back together. Rinse and wash multiple times. I just use a regular cleaning rod and clean cloth, but don't use the same cloth again for regular cleaning.

I've never tried it on nickle slide tubes, I don't know if there would be different precautions.

I'd be nervous about leaving vinegar in my slide overnight.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 1:34 pm

MAliesch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:59 am One option if it's scaled or corroded on the inside from sitting for years without being cleaned first, it's good to fill the outer with distilled vinegar and let it sit overnight ...

Be REALLY careful with this. Vinegar will leach zinc out of the brass. Leaving it overnight (I speak from experience) will likely result in some leaching. The speed with which this happens depends in part on the composition of the brass.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 1:39 pm

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:48 am Brasso is really hard to wash out.

Yes. It also contains silicate as the abrasive -- which, alas, is NOT "non-embedding". JB bore paste (which IS non-embedding) is a better choice, though much less aggressive. There are also a number of non-embedding lapping compounds (like Timesaver), but they're pretty expensive and probably not worth getting for individual trombone maintenance.

I did manage to pick up a variety of those at a local auction (old NC textile company going out of business) a few years ago.

In truth, if I had a Rath or a Shires instead of my Chinese $500 bass trombone, I likely wouldn't be using the Brasso -- which as I say I use only now and then, and then spend more time cleaning out than I did using it.

MAliesch · Post by **MAliesch** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:23 pm

I guess we should clarify for the OP and anyone else that stumbles into here.

If you have a professional horn that you value, don't do any of these things yourself. Send it to a professional that you trust and let them look at your specific instrument and decide based on their experience what your slide needs to get back into shape.

Vinegar has been useful for me on school owned instruments that hadn't been cleaned in 20 years or more, and were hardly playable otherwise. I had personally seen the mineral deposits on old plumbing in the area, and drastic measures were required.

I wouldn't attempt something like that on an instrument that was playable.

Nickel silver slides are known for being a little scratchy when they are clean and dry. You should be swabbing and relubing your slide after every 10 or so playing hours to keep it in shape, more often if you play after eating or drinking some kind of sugary, acidic beverage. For some people this is every other day, for others this is biweekly.

Certain slides are pickier than others about which lube works best.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 9:25 pm

MAliesch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:23 pm

I wouldn't attempt something like that on an instrument that was playable.

Of course, we all have our own ideas of what "playable" means. The brasso was very successful (and without any apparent damage) on my '47 Olds. But yes ... if you're dealing with an instrument you can't afford to make a mistake with, then don't go there.

jpwell · Post by **jpwell** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:25 pm

So I brush my teeth before every time I play, even rinse out tooth paste from my with water.

The slide dr uses soft scrub?

A professional is one who learned how to do something. We can all learn how to do anything. Maybe I won’t know the secret repairmen hand shake but I will learn more about slide maintenance. I am not scared to work on my good horns. Heck I spent 30 years running into burning buildings and wasn’t scared.

Thx for the feedback

LarryPrestonRoberson · Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:43 pm

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:48 am Brasso is really hard to wash out.

Yes it is. That's why the Slide Dr. uses Wright's brass polish. Which, I believe, is water based versus Brasso, which is oil based. I'm not 100% sure on that, but maybe Bruce or one of the other chemists can confirm—or someone who has a bottle of both to compare.

Post by **BGuttman** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 4:30 am

I'm not sure what the real problem with Brasso is; I'll have to research it a bit.

Another option might be to use something like Barkeeper's Friend or Bon Ami to scour the inside of the outer slide if you don't want to find the rifle bore stuff Gary Merrill suggested.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:41 am

BGuttman wrote: ↑Wed Aug 01, 2018 4:30 am I'm not sure what the real problem with Brasso is; I'll have to research it a bit.

The big problem with all these abrasive products is whether they're embedding or non-embedding -- which is whether abrasive particles actually will embed in (stick in) the surface. An additional issue mentioned by others here is how easy the stuff is to remove/clean once it's used. I can't seem to get a fully reliable grip on whether Brasso truly embeds or not. The popular view (among machinists and others) seems to be that it doesn't, but they're often talking about using it on steel.

Here's a nice fact sheet from Hetman for lapping compounds designed specifically for brass instruments:
http://www.hetman-eu.com/Hetman_A4_UniLap_English.pdf

It mentions some of the criteria that are important in such compounds. It's not clear how easy it is to get in the US, but you could order it from somewhere like Thomann. I'm sure there are similar things around in the commercial/industrial area in the US, once you know what to look for. And Ferree's has similar products. Like I said, I've got several containers of various grades and abrasives (all non-embedding) that I picked up at a tool auction a few years ago. These are the Timesaver products, and I've got four grades for "soft metals" and four for "hard metals".

Here's an interesting thread from the Trumpet Herald that goes into some detail about abrasives and introduces some interesting issues about substances that have been used for lapping valves and such on brass instruments:
https://trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1044030.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:57 am

jpwell wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 10:25 pm A professional is one who learned how to do something. We can all learn how to do anything. Maybe I won’t know the secret repairmen hand shake but I will learn more about slide maintenance. I am not scared to work on my good horns. Heck I spent 30 years running into burning buildings and wasn’t scared.

Well, a professional is one who learned how to do something AND is paid for doing that by others.

But I do agree with you that as long as you're willing to put the time into the learning and to assess and assume whatever risk is involved, then you shouldn't be deterred.

In circumstances like these, I'm always reminded of the time when our kids were young, we didn't have a lot of money, and one of their bikes needed fixing because the brake wasn't working. I got a book from the library, and one thing the book emphasized was that you should NEVER disassemble the coaster brake because this was VERY complicated and absolutely NEEDED to be taken to a "professional" bicycle repair technician (because a normal person just couldn't understand it, and you'd never get it back together). Yeah, but there was the money issue. And what did I have to lose? It turns out that coaster brakes have a bunch of funky parts put together in very inventive ways -- but they aren't exactly on the level trying to solve quantum physics problems with the Schrödinger equation. Often, "Don't try this at home" is excellent advice. Sometimes not. It has a lot to do with your attitude towards risk and what you're willing to lose -- and whether in fact you can see the risk.

One of the reasons I have my $500 Chinese 7B knock-off is so I could experiment a bit with it -- and that's been a great experience.

Trav1s · Post by **Trav1s** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:53 am

Thanks for this discussion, I am reviving an old Besson 8-10 that has been stored for years. I gave it the tub soak but the slide is rough and I hope to go after it with Wright's Brass polish in the next few days.

jpwell · Post by **jpwell** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 7:48 pm

Ya I remember when my kids were little too and had not $$$ trouble is I still have no $$$ grandkids cost too.

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:07 pm

Does anyone know if the Bach slide cream (#1880) is the same as Superslick?
I've been using the Bach cream and getting good results for the most part but after watching the slide doctor's video I'm tempted to try and duplicate his method including the use of the "plus treatment" except with the Bach cream that I already have. The results I get now are good just not always consistent as far as how long it lasts and getting good action throughout the entire slide.
Also, does anyone have recommendations for a good material to use for swabbing out the inside of the outer slide tubes. Right now I use cheese cloth but I don't have much and it won't last and I don't think you can run it through a washing machine so I'm looking for something that is reusable after washing. I think the slide doctor mentioned bed sheet material?? I'm not sure.

Cheers,
Robert

Post by **BGuttman** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 5:49 pm

1, Bach slide cream is very similar to Conn Formula 3. It's an OK slide lube.
2. You can use the Plus treatment with the Bach cream, the old Yamaha cream (in a plastic tub), Formula 3, Superslick, and Trombotine. I've even used it with Pond's.
3. Instead of cheesecloth, try unbleached muslin. It's a little stiffer than bedsheet material and can be laundered. Some will recommend the Brass Saver system. It's probably OK, but I've never tried it.

Trav1s · Post by **Trav1s** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 5:49 am

I use unbleached muslin and have for 30+ years. Definitely heavier/stiffer and tends to remove dirt from the out much better than any other material I have used. Last time I purchased I kept one piece that is the full width of the bolt and is 8" wide - (Approximately 8" x 36" dimension) It is long enough to reach the full length of the cleaning rod which allows me to wrap it tighter and not worry about the cloth coming off of the rod and get stuck in the outer slide. If it does I can simply pull on the cloth in my hand and gently pull it out.

I have used Trombotine since the early 90's and it has worked well on all of my horns. The one caveat is know the slide and apply accordingly. Some like more and others like less (much less).

Finally, I worked on the Besson 8-10 mentioned above and made some solid improvement using the Brasso, Dawn, and some good old TLC. Initially, the side was set up with Trombotine and water and worked well (considered the dents I found in it) but seemed very scratchy. I attribute this to both the need for an alignment and nickel outer sleeves. A few days later I cleaned it again with Dawn and hot water, dried it out, wiped the inners and down with rubbing alcohol, and put Yamaha slide lube on it. This works even better than the Trombotine - smoother, quieter, and less scratchiness. I say this is pretty good considering the age of the horn which I would guess is from the 40s and has some wear on the inner stockings.

timothy42b · Post by **timothy42b** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:22 am

8 inches wide? I use much smaller. Are you able to spiral wrap that around the rod without getting too thick, or do you wrap some other way?

Trav1s · Post by **Trav1s** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:25 am

timothy42b wrote: ↑Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:22 am 8 inches wide? I use much smaller. Are you able to spiral wrap that around the rod without getting too thick, or do you wrap some other way?

Maybe it is 6" wide... I was just guessing before coffee. Spiral wrap up the entire cleaning rod but not terribly tight.

fantrombone · Post by **fantrombone** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:27 am

So after watching the slide DR vids I got a thought. Sometimes my slides feel like they have gravel in them even after a trip thru the bath tub with a snake.
What if you used a shotgun cleaning cotton mop and brasso to polish the inside of the outer tube.
Any problems doing that?

The Key word here is "sometimes." Either there is something stuck to the inside of your outer slide or not. Depending on the age, and manufacture and any previous repairs becomes a factor. If the scraping sound or rock sound happens sometimes it could be the brace on the inner slide is off by 2 or 3 mi. It can happen because after so many years or times holding the left hand on the brace it may bend or come loose but is not always visible to the naked eye. That will cause a "sometimes."
Some of the inexpensive horns, the metal on either the inner or outer slide or both when it starts to heat up will bend because they use inferior metal blends. A decent "trombone repair person" should already know this...this is just a couple of things that could be wrong....I personally don't recommend brasso or shotgun cleaning for the inside of your outer slide because it might burst a hole or change how round the slide it suppose to be. Also brasso is a pain to remove and your slide may be 75% other than brass.

BrassedOn · Post by **BrassedOn** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:02 am

BflatBass wrote: ↑Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:07 pm Also, does anyone have recommendations for a good material to use for swabbing out the inside of the outer slide tubes.
Cheers,
Robert

Kind of old school but works: I have 100% cotton t-shirts. I wear them and at "end of life", I cut the hem off and cut the t-shirt in a spiral. I usually get a couple of long 1.5-2 inch strips. I thread these through a slide cleaning rod and wrap around. 1 for cleaning and 1 for drying. I hand wash these and dry on a line because they'd twist in a washer. I use the sleeve sections for polishing cloths, again cutting off cuff edge.

BE VERY SURE 100% cotton. Some synthetics are scratchy.

baileyman · Post by **baileyman** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:20 am

I don't get the long swab thing.

Examine the stain and it's all near the tip where all the work happens.

I guess the long swab shields the rod, but then it's aluminum, right?, so it cannot harm a slide tube.

A small piece of microfiber sized to jam in the tube will clean it out great. Size it hooked in it's middle for the outer. Slide it to one end for the inner. Swab once. The rest is just ritual.

elmsandr · Post by **elmsandr** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:33 am

baileyman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:20 am I don't get the long swab thing.

Examine the stain and it's all near the tip where all the work happens.

I guess the long swab shields the rod, but then it's aluminum, right?, so it cannot harm a slide tube.

A small piece of microfiber sized to jam in the tube will clean it out great. Size it hooked in it's middle for the outer. Slide it to one end for the inner. Swab once. The rest is just ritual.

Get a small cloth stuck at the end of the slide just once and you will learn the value of the long swab. It isn't a lot of fun to have to get a slide unsoldered to get the cleaning cloth out.

Always have enough to hold on to,
Andy

harrisonreed · Post by **harrisonreed** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:51 am

baileyman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:20 am I don't get the long swab thing.

Examine the stain and it's all near the tip where all the work happens.

I guess the long swab shields the rod, but then it's aluminum, right?, so it cannot harm a slide tube.

A small piece of microfiber sized to jam in the tube will clean it out great. Size it hooked in it's middle for the outer. Slide it to one end for the inner. Swab once. The rest is just ritual.

LOL. Correct. It is impossible for a trombone slide to be damaged by anything made out of aluminum.

Posaunus · Post by **Posaunus** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:10 am

harrisonreed wrote: ↑Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:51 am LOL. Correct. It is impossible for a trombone slide to be damaged by anything made out of aluminum.

doctortrombone · Post by **doctortrombone** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:36 am

The problem I've had with shotgun rods and bore mops is that they are usually made out of two or three threaded pieces. The threaded sections seem to be rather fragile. I've seen them snap off in the middle of a slide, leaving a rag and a chunk of aluminum inside of the slide with no easy way to get it out. If you can find a one piece shotgun rod, that will work pretty well with a bore mop.

For really cruddy slides, I've gone over to a piece of 7/16 drill rod with a 2" slot cut down the middle. I can take a piece of soft fabric and slot it in, and wrap it tightly around the drill rod. Depending on the length of the fabric, I can get a fairly snug fit inside of the tube and the patch ends up perfectly cylindrical. I put the drill rod in an electric drill, and run it in and out of the outer slide tube. I run it dry, with no polish or lubricant on it, and it takes out all manner of corrosion and crud.

Pre59 · Post by **Pre59** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:57 pm

LarryPrestonRoberson wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:43 pm
Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Tue Jul 31, 2018 11:48 am Brasso is really hard to wash out.
Yes it is. That's why the Slide Dr. uses Wright's brass polish. Which, I believe, is water based versus Brasso, which is oil based. I'm not 100% sure on that, but maybe Bruce or one of the other chemists can confirm—or someone who has a bottle of both to compare.

Wrights brass polish is easier to remove than Brasso. As it's not sold in the UK so I got some from a store in Canada, but having used Brasso infrequently over 50 years I believe that Wrights is more suitable than Brasso. I got the tip from a Slide Dr video.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:29 pm

doctortrombone wrote: ↑Tue Oct 02, 2018 10:36 am The problem I've had with shotgun rods and bore mops is that they are usually made out of two or three threaded pieces. The threaded sections seem to be rather fragile. I've seen them snap off in the middle of a slide, leaving a rag and a chunk of aluminum inside of the slide with no easy way to get it out. If you can find a one piece shotgun rod, that will work pretty well with a bore mop.

I use a stainless one-piece rifle rod with a large-caliber rifle mop. But I'm not happy with it and think I'll quit.

An additional problem with using things like this is the chance of the metal rod contacting and bending or wearing a part of the slide. Even if you're careful, this can happen. In the long run, it's a problem even with plastics. Any black powder target shooter will tell you of the value of using a rod guide so your plastic (usually fiberglass or delrin) rod or your brass range rod doesn't wear or ding the muzzle. Same potential with a trombone slide. A plastic coated rifle rod might be better, or "sleeving" one with some vinyl tubing might be good.

The problem is to get the required rod rigidity without facing abrasion or deformation problems. I've tried using small diameter PVC plumbing tubing, but it's really too flexible and will rub on the slide if you're not really careful. In the end, either finding a rod you can sleeve appropriately, or using the classic cloth-wrapped cleaning rod may be the best/safest approaches.

Pre59 · Post by **Pre59** » Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:36 pm

https://www.slide-o-mix.com/ers.php

whitbey · Post by **whitbey** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:47 am

Over many years I have found a few really good things to do to a slide.

I took am old mouthpiece and soldered on a garden hose fitting. One could also use ribbon epoxy. With a short hose in my laundry tube I can flush out the slide and/ or the whole horn. Do not go too heavy on the water flow or too hot or cold with the temp.

When I clean my slide I pour in a generous amount of Dawn soap and vinegar. I clean the bow with a snake. And I have a rod I made from wood with a bronze gun brush on the end. Bronze does not scratch brass. I use a nylon mesh covered sponge to wipe the inner slide. Then flush it all out with the garden hose. All done in a few minutes.

jpwell · Post by **jpwell** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:03 am

Thx for the insite

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 1:24 pm

whitbey wrote: ↑Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:47 am I took am old mouthpiece and soldered on a garden hose fitting. One could also use ribbon epoxy. With a short hose in my laundry tube I can flush out the slide and/ or the whole horn. Do not go too heavy on the water flow or too hot or cold with the temp.

This sounds like the trombone version of the machine I made for cleaning my tubas and euphoniums. Mine makes use of an aquarium pump so I can recirculate the solution (through a filter) for as long as I like -- which is usually about 20-30 minutes. But valved instruments manage to acquire a lot more gunk than trombones (even trombones with valves).

And I have a rod I made from wood with a bronze gun brush on the end. Bronze does not scratch brass.

I made a rod similar to that (using a wooden dowel) and a shotgun brush/mop adapter. But I wasn't really happy with it. However, now I'm thinking of doing that again with a hickory ram rod for a muzzle loading rifle. The ram rods are straighter, smoother, and much more rigid -- though also a bunch more expensive.

It depends on the alloys in question, of course, but certainly some bronzes are harder (Brinell 150-190) than brasses (~ Brinell 100 for most/much yellow brass). Sometimes the classifications of "brass" and "bronze" are sloppy and undependable. Just not sure that the generalization "Bronze does not scratch brass." is fully accurate.

Post by **BGuttman** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 1:50 pm

I don't use the bronze brushes. There are bristle brushes (bronze colored) that work fine and are gentler to the brass. But still quite stiff.

ssking2b · Post by **ssking2b** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 7:56 am

Once you get all the cleaning and polishing done KEEP THAT SLIDE CLEAN! I wipe off my inner tubes and use a slide-o-mix Rod with the Terry cloth at the end of every day, and/or before I put new lube on the slide (I use the Yamaha stuff). my slides are wonderful. I also flush the outer slide once a week with warm water, then use the SOM Rod to dry it. The slide Dr says I always have the cleanest sides he works on! I have him go over all my slides every 2-3 years, and sooner if one needs repair. I know this might sound like a lot, but the results are worth it!

timothy42b · Post by **timothy42b** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:20 pm

Just FYI, Philip (ssking2b) is a fanatic about good slides, and he even gets his pBone slides to work better than anybody else.

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 7:01 am

I"m a big fan of those terrycloth sleeves, and have two of them for tenor and two for bass. That way I can cycle one through a wash and still have one to use on the horn. It's important not let crap get built up in them. Wish they weren't so expensive, but they're just terribly effective and a real convenience.

jpwell · Post by **jpwell** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:44 am

Got a link for the terry cloth swabs

pompatus · Post by **pompatus** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:18 am

jpwell wrote: ↑Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:44 am Got a link for the terry cloth swabs

Here's a link to the package on the Horn Guys site, but you can find just the swab parts by themselves as well.

https://www.hornguys.com/products/slide ... g-system-1

ghmerrill · Post by **ghmerrill** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:15 am

Amazon has 'em. Look for "Slide-o-mix Towel Sheath". Both sizes: $19.99 and $23.38. Free shipping.

jthomas105 · Post by **jthomas105** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:19 pm

Slidebone.com has the "Easy Care Slide Sheath" for $5.00 each. Buy 4 for the same amount as the Slide-o-mix sheaths.

http://slidebone.com/index.php?cPath=66 ... ttsr44vff5

Posaunus · Post by **Posaunus** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:49 pm

jthomas105 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:19 pm Slidebone.com has the "Easy Care Slide Sheath" for $5.00 each. Buy 4 for the same amount as the Slide-o-mix sheaths.
http://slidebone.com/index.php?cPath=66 ... ttsr44vff5

Has anyone had experience with Slidebone.com? I'm not familiar with that store. Sheath price is very favorable!

Post by **BGuttman** » Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:55 pm

There are people here who swear by him -- and people here who swear at him. Many purchases go through smoothly, but every so often things go off the rails -- with disastrous consequences.

Bassbonechandler · Post by **Bassbonechandler** » Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:02 am

BGuttman wrote: ↑Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:55 pm There are people here who swear by him -- and people here who swear at him. Many purchases go through smoothly, but every so often things go off the rails -- with disastrous consequences.

I ordered an axe handle through that website that took months and months to arrive. I had to email him several times to receive it. When I did finally receive it, it didn't even fit my instrument very well. I never plan on ordering from him again.