All the talk about valves in Dirty Valves = Sticky Valves reminds me of some more important advice about good valve maintenance, your choice of valve oil. It is important to remember that not all valve oils are created equally. There are essentially two types of valve oil: petroleum based and synthetic based. You can decide for yourself what type works best for you, but make sure not to mix the two. In fact, if you are planning on changing the type of oil you use then you should clean the valves as described in Dirty Valves = Sticky Valves, only applying the new type of oil once the valves are clean. This is especially true if you are planning on changing from petroleum to synthetic or vise-versa. Different valve oils can have adverse reactions to each other which can lead to severe problems with your valves. Fortunately, If you have made the mistake of mixing incompatible oils, this crisis can be solved with a simple cleaning.

Along with your choice in valve oil comes a choice in slide grease. You should pick a slide grease that is compatible with your valve oil. Be sure to use petroleum based grease with petroleum based oil, and synthetic based grease with synthetic based oil. When using synthetic oils, I like to use the same brand of grease to avoid any problems with compatibility. Believe it or not, oils and greases are getting more sophisticated all the time. If you want to avoid being embarrassed by a sticking valve or slide in an important performance, it is important to give at least some consideration as to the products you use on your instrument.

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