TromboneChat

I just picked up late 70s Olds O-25 from someone who says the horn was played for about a year but hadn't been used since. I can't budge the F tuning slide. Any suggestions about how to unstick it? Maybe this is a task for a professional? I was able to pull off the main tuning slide with a bit of effort but the "grease" on it seemed more like glue.

You could always try a bit of penetrating oil. I might even heat it, gently, with a blowdryer. Personally, I’d be scared to do any damage, and would let my tech free it up.

It’s probably a less than 30 minute job, and at least I’d have the peace of mind of having the tech to look it over while he’s got it.

pompatus wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 9:41 am You could always try a bit of penetrating oil. I might even heat it, gently, with a blowdryer. Personally, I’d be scared to do any damage, and would let my tech free it up.

It’s probably a less than 30 minute job, and at least I’d have the peace of mind of having the tech to look it over while he’s got it.

Brad,

I agree with Pompatus - let a competent tech do this job and give you an overview.

The O-25 is a fine trombone - rare as hen's teeth - and you may love it (as I do) once you accommodate to its eccentricities. You may be experimenting for a while with mouthpieces.

If it's a long pull slide, there are a lot of possible hang ups. I've freed a lot of stuck slides with oil. If it's a wide slide, it might get racked, and you might try rocking it back and forth. Narrow slides don't do that as much. The blow drier is a good idea too. I loop a rag through the slide crook to get a better grip with less possibility of causing damage.

Leave it to a pro! Too much could go wrong.

My previous answer on the problem of a stuck slide...

Stuck Tuning slide

However, an F tuning slide is more awkward for either thermal or chemical cracking. You will need to be extra ingenious.

He has tutorials on how to remove them.