Best Valve oil for axial flow in 2025

[BrianJohnston]

Just creating an up-to-date thread of best valve oil for axial flow(specifically the instrument innovations axial) lately I’ve been using laTromba but I’m wondering if there is something a bit smoother that would be ultra efficient. Thanks

[Burgerbob]

Ultra pure club

[muschem]

Berp bio oil works fine in my Olsen axial, but it doesn't seem particularly picky.

[harrisonreed]

Ultra Pure 100%

[BrianJohnston]

Thanks. What about linkage oils? Ultra pure as well? I’m currently using hetmans

[Burgerbob]

Ultra pure for everything! (minus the slide)

[mrdeacon]

Ultra pure for everything! (minus the slide)

I’m the same. During the great Hetmann drought of the 2020’s I switched over and haven’t looked back.

I’ll die with a tube of Trombotine in my hand. I’ll always be loyal to that stuff.

[pfrancis]

Any oil used very regularly - two times a week minimum. People still, 40 years into Thayer/Axial valves, think they can neglect their valve like the rotors of yesteryear. I used Hetman and now J.Meinlschmidt.

Regarding instrument innovations: they are interesting in that bearings don’t want oil really, but rather grease. This can lead to a somewhat less smooth feeling in use with no penalty to action really - they remain reliable even when the feeling of the bearing is present. I need to reach out to Mike/I.I. And ask what they recommend to pack the bearings with. Will report back.

[elmsandr]

I’ve been using the scavenged leftovers of Al Cass from trumpet players at rehearsals for twenty years. No reason to change now.

Seriously; you can get many brands from what is left at rehearsals, but there is always al cass. When my son switched to a piston instrument, I bought my first bottle of valve oil in decades… can’t wait for him to leave it somewhere I can pick it up.

Cheers,
Andy

[pfrancis]

Regarding instrument innovations: they are interesting in that bearings don’t want oil really, but rather grease. This can lead to a somewhat less smooth feeling in use with no penalty to action really - they remain reliable even when the feeling of the bearing is present. I need to reach out to Mike/I.I. And ask what they recommend to pack the bearings with. Will report back.

Mike at Instrument innovations suggested simply keeping the bearings oiled with a (similar to) spindle oil. Seems to me that this would not prevent undue wear from particulates or keep moisture out but this is what he said. His product so follow his advice if you are using one of his valves.

[Bonearzt]

Thanks. What about linkage oils? Ultra pure as well? I’m currently using hetmans

Can't beat Hetman 13/14 for the linkages, until you can't get it....

I've tried some Monster Oil that seems to work well, especially the thick stuff on the linkage bearings.
Available from Players Music.

[jjenkins]

I'm a big fan of Yamaha's Synthetic valve oil. It's odorless and lasts a long time. The action is smooth and quiet and I don't get any buildup.

[cigmar]

My Shires Thayer built in 2000 seems awful noisy. Would like to try the Ultra Pure. There are quite a few products in their line. Which one would be best suited for me?

[BrianJohnston]

My Shires Thayer built in 2000 seems awful noisy. Would like to try the Ultra Pure. There are quite a few products in their line. Which one would be best suited for me?

Depends on how smooth or fast you want the action. As far as I know there are only 3 variants, light, normal, & heavy. I went with Heavy because I like a smoother action with my valves.

[JTeagarden]

Ultra pure club

Club?

[ithinknot]

Ultra pure club

Club?

It's the carbonated version

[BGuttman]

Ultra Pure is a family of silicone based lubricants ranging from a thin valve oil to a heavy (thick) tuning slide grease.

Axial valves use a few of the lubricants. The lever mechanism uses a Key Oil. This is probably where your clanking comes from. A relatively heavy oil tends to fill spaces in worn linkage components, sometimes at the expense of making the valve action slow. The spindle takes a different oil; much the same as a rotor spindle oil. Finally, the cone is usually treated with a few drops of a light valve oil dribbled in through the slide receiver.

A good tech can give you a quick course in what to use where if you need to bring it in for some service.

Another source of noise could be old bumpers which have hardened over the years. While it's easy to just put in a new set, they need to be adjusted by trimming which is best done by a tech if you don't know what adjustment is.

[JTeagarden]

It's the carbonated version

I will add a twist of lemon

[jonathanharker]

It's the carbonated version

I will add a twist of lemon

Definitely not shaken

[slidesix]

I use Al Cass (the light, cheap stuff) since I think that is what the presenter at the Schmitt Trombone shop (Keith?) recommened in their vid on axial oiling and maintenance. I think the idea--and I am very new to this so don't take this as gospel--was you wanted a light oil and you might use a lot of it especially. if you oil it daily. I heard oiling each time before you play was suggested. So for now, I just use the Al Cass or Blue Juice since they are cheap and I can buy locally.

I have heard good things about the Ultra pure. That is probably better than what I use.

I have a Bach A47I 0.547 axial, for reference.

[wayne88ny]

Regarding instrument innovations: they are interesting in that bearings don’t want oil really, but rather grease. This can lead to a somewhat less smooth feeling in use with no penalty to action really - they remain reliable even when the feeling of the bearing is present. I need to reach out to Mike/I.I. And ask what they recommend to pack the bearings with. Will report back.

Mike at Instrument innovations suggested simply keeping the bearings oiled with a (similar to) spindle oil. Seems to me that this would not prevent undue wear from particulates or keep moisture out but this is what he said. His product so follow his advice if you are using one of his valves.

From a post in 2018

Lubricant/oil for Bach Infinty (Olsen) axial flow valve

Post by ttf_anonymous » Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:19 pm

Hello everyone
I’ve had this question many many times and I generally answer it the same way . You can use most any oil you like but it needs to be as thin as possible . I originally thought that none of the synthetics would work very well as they tend to thicken a bit more than the petroleum based oil‘s although I have several people using the Hetman light and I believe also ultrapure in the light in the lightest form possible . You must understand that this is a different valve than the axial flow that everyone else has had over the years . This valve will not leak and will not wear out. The other valves needed the oil not only to prevent wear but to seal and as they would wear you would use thicker and thicker oil to continue to create the seal . These valves are not like that. The only reason you need oil is to clean the saliva and residue that builds up in the valve it also keeps corrosion from building up . The oil is not needed to prevent wear however it does quiet the valve. if you use no oil at all the valve tends to be a bit noisy . A couple of drops of regular cheap thin petroleum based oil is generally all you need. I’ve got guys that have not cleaned their valve in over two years and things are going just fine . All they do is make sure to keep the thin oil in the valve.
Thank you
Mike Olsen

From the Instrument Innovations website:

We recommend using Berp Light Valve BioOil for cleaning your valve and preventing corrosion...

It's my understanding that the bearings are sealed and thus need no lubrication. I don't think you can lubricate sealed bearings without breaking the seal.