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Cleaning Cymbals

pulse_506

Posts: 4
Joined: Jan 1, 2007

No. 1 Posted on Jan 3, 2007 10:20 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

I was wondering what the best way is to clean cymbals is. My frined cleans his with ketchup, he says spreading in on for about a half hour then taking it off really makes them shine. But im not really into putting ketchup all over my cymbals..so is there any other way?

pwc

Posts: 9775
Joined: Jan 16, 2005
Location: Pattaya, Thailand

No. 2 Posted on Jan 4, 2007 11:39 AM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Paul swears by "Bar Keepers Friend". Use a damp cloth with it, then rinse very well and dry very well afterwards. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

layindown

Posts: 181
Joined: May 29, 2005
Location: Northeast Philly-ish

No. 3 Posted on Jan 14, 2007 3:25 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

pulse_506 wrote: I was wondering what the best way is to clean cymbals is. My frined cleans his with ketchup, he says spreading in on for about a half hour then taking it off really makes them shine. But im not really into putting ketchup all over my cymbals..so is there any other way? WHAT?!?! Ketchup is eggs & fries - not cymbals! All the major cymbal brands have their own type of cleaner. I personally have used "Groove Juice" with just ok results & Zildjian Cream cleaner w/ excellent results. However, the Zil cleaner took off the logos quite a bit - not a big deal to me, but it might be to you. I have been curious to see how well the BKF works, but I like my cymbals like a like my women - dirty (j/k!). Maybe one of these days I'll break down and shine 'em up nice. "A truly wise man knows he has much to learn..."

Timbo

Posts: 32
Joined: Feb 15, 2006

No. 4 Posted on Jan 21, 2007 11:43 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

ive heard groove juice works quite well for most cymbals. Ive cleaned my cymbals only one time and i just used warm water and regualr hand soap and it worked just fine youjust have to make sure to dry yout cymbals very well when your done. I prefer my cymbals dirty. =D

taye

Posts: 350
Joined: Jan 16, 2005
Location: Pennsylvania

No. 5 Posted on Feb 2, 2007 1:48 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

groove juice or any professional cleaner. Promark sells some and so does zildjian just be sure to rinse them off and dry them off well afterwards. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. -- Henry David Thoreau

DrummerCyn

Posts: 1
Joined: Nov 29, 2007

No. 6 Posted on Nov 29, 2007 2:10 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

man... Ketchup, Tabascio Sauce...none of that works. It'll ruin your cymbals if anything. Buy some good cymbal polish. And call it a day.

Texray1

Posts: 1618
Joined: Dec 28, 2005
Location: Dallas, Tx

No. 7 Posted on Dec 6, 2007 10:58 AM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

The big trouble with discussing cymbal cleaning seems to be every persons standard of clean. What one person would think of as nice and shiny, might be mildly dirty or tarnished to someone else so it's hard to evaluate everyones suggestions.

super9jerome

Posts: 7
Joined: Dec 5, 2007

No. 8 Posted on Dec 6, 2007 10:59 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

WHAT???!!! KETCHUP??? Try using groove juice it really works. . .

tomcat

manic

Posts: 3146
Joined: Feb 28, 2007

No. 9 Posted on Dec 9, 2007 9:56 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

noxon 7 metal polish in the green bottle at advance auto parts 5 bucks for a 12oz bottle, what do have to lose at that price Better Living Through Paiste

Warejm01

Posts: 4
Joined: Sep 26, 2007
Location: Leeds

No. 10 Posted on Dec 12, 2007 1:30 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

I tried cleaning my old cymbals (they came with a starter kit) with the ketchup, and it works!!!! just leaves you kit smelling

alleman

Posts: 1
Joined: Dec 15, 2007

No. 11 Posted on Dec 20, 2007 2:57 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

hi, what are talking about? there are nice things produced by Paiste for cymbal cleaning and protecting. there are also crazy john's cymbal cleaning and polishing products. try them! maybe it would be the best decision in keeping your cymbals cleaned and protected.

jess

Posts: 46
Joined: Dec 26, 2007

No. 12 Posted on Dec 28, 2007 7:22 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Dunlop 65 Cymbal cleaner. Removes all stick marks -network percussion 5 piece set, -Sabian B8 14" hats, 16" thin crash, 18" thin crash, 20" ride, 10" splash -Yamaha metal snare -Remo 10" extended range tss snare (coming soon) -Remo practice pad 10", 6" -yamaha DD-35 electronic drums -Remo 10" leon moble

peterosefan

Posts: 5
Joined: Dec 24, 2007

No. 13 Posted on Dec 31, 2007 2:22 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

For those who are puzzled at the ketchup method... (I've never tried it, though I might, now) It does make perfect sense. It's basic science. The acid in the tomato would eat the corrosion on the brass, thus making it shiny & clean. Similarly, take a penny and drop it into a glass of Coca-Cola and wait 30 min. Same results. Bar Keepers Friend makes sense, but here's a related question: Has anyone ever tried "Brasso"?

mr_dreadlocks

Gandy

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Joined: Nov 22, 2007
Location: The Sunhouse

No. 14 Posted on Dec 31, 2007 3:54 PM	Profile \| PM \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

i tried brasso. it takes the logos almost fully off though, but gives the cymbals a mreall nice brilliant shine. maked them a bit lighter as well... www.myspace.com/bluesmithuk "I honestly read that as "it does not stop or retard the crackER in any way" but knew I was wrong as the cracker might be retarded and should be stopped." Best wishes to everybody, Gandy.

StillKicken

Posts: 2210
Joined: Jan 16, 2005
Location: Buda, Texas

No. 15 Posted on Jan 1, 2008 10:12 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

peterosefan wrote: Has anyone ever tried "Brasso"? Yes, but that's too much trouble. LOL!! While in the military we used Brasso to clean the brass on our uniforms but finger printing was problem. Found out if you squirt a little lighter fluid on it wipe off the excess it worked but only temporary. Not recommended for cleaning cymbals indoors. Sherm

PeteNoAccess

Posts: 1243
Joined: Jul 21, 2007
Location: Havant,Hampshire,England

No. 16 Posted on Jan 6, 2008 3:29 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

peterosefan wrote: For those who are puzzled at the ketchup method... (I've never tried it, though I might, now) It does make perfect sense. It's basic science. The acid in the tomato would eat the corrosion on the brass, thus making it shiny & clean. Similarly, take a penny and drop it into a glass of Coca-Cola and wait 30 min. Same results. Bar Keepers Friend makes sense, but here's a related question: Has anyone ever tried "Brasso"? i use brasso when i do mine, its good but as ben said, watch when your doing the logo's, i normally just do soap and water when i get to the logo's. but yeah, once you use brasso, your cymbals will blind you when you hit them! AD Custom Drums Amedia Turkish Cymbals

paradidler

Posts: 5
Joined: Apr 10, 2008

No. 17 Posted on Apr 10, 2008 1:06 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

The quickest and most cymbal safe way ithink is groove juice. You spray it on and let it sit for 45 seconds. Then you rinse it in warm water and towel dry. Plus you dont have to worry about the letters coming off or fading.

Crusher

Moderator

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Joined: Jan 15, 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada

No. 18 Posted on Apr 10, 2008 4:14 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Real Dirty? Cameo then Brasso. Not so dirty...Brasso. Musicians Wisdom Communicate! It can't make things any worse.

PeteNoAccess

Posts: 1243
Joined: Jul 21, 2007
Location: Havant,Hampshire,England

No. 19 Posted on Apr 11, 2008 4:46 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Crusher wrote: Real Dirty? Cameo then Brasso. Not so dirty...Brasso. here here AD Custom Drums Amedia Turkish Cymbals

TNG

Posts: 1
Joined: Nov 28, 2008

No. 20 Posted on Dec 2, 2008 9:50 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Okay so I tried Cameo, then went to Groove Juice. I had to be gentle with the Cameo but the Groove Juice needed some extra time beyond the 30 seconds in the instructions. I also spot cleaned with GJ just on the spots. To match color I hit it again with GJ. My B20 cymbals are old: 1970 Paiste 602 and 1950 Zildjian hats (no I didn't clean underneath with the signature). Both had very nice patinas but some disturbing tarnish spots and all kinds of sweat and beer stains with what looked like bacteria growing all over them. I HATED to lose the patina because I LOVED that dry sound. But I HAD to save the cymbals. So now they are all bright and shiny and new looking and I want to coat them with some protectant to keep off the fingerprints (which show up by merely imagining them it seems) and stop the spots from coming back. I just read that Paiste's Cymbal Protector prevents oxidation. But oxidation is another word for patina! I WANT patina! Is there some product or technique that will protect from fingerprints and growing tarnish spots (rust basically) but allow oxidizing/patina to come back as quickly and evenly as possible? I know I'm screwed (cleaning them did change the sound unfortunately) but I want that brown look and brown sound back ASAP without holes being eaten through my vintage lovelies. Any suggestions for an even, quick patina? Pledge maybe?

FRAIRE

Posts: 1
Joined: Jan 13, 2009

No. 21 Posted on Jan 13, 2009 1:34 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

I'VE FOUND THAT THE BEST WAY TO BRING ANY CYMBAL TO AN IMMACULATE SPARKLE IS TO GRAB A CLEAN WHITE CLOTH AND SMEAR IT WITH . IT WORKS WONDERS TO THE POINT YOU CAN SEE YOUR OWN STUPID REFLECTION ON THE ALLOY AS YOU HOLD THE CYMBAL IN YOUR SORE HAND. (NO TE CREAS, PENDEJO! Crusher edited on Jan 18, 2009 3:55 PM

Crusher

Moderator

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Joined: Jan 15, 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada

No. 22 Posted on Jan 18, 2009 3:56 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

FRAIRE wrote: I'VE FOUND THAT THE BEST WAY TO BRING ANY CYMBAL TO AN IMMACULATE SPARKLE IS TO GRAB A CLEAN WHITE CLOTH AND SMEAR IT WITH . IT WORKS WONDERS TO THE POINT YOU CAN SEE YOUR OWN STUPID REFLECTION ON THE ALLOY AS YOU HOLD THE CYMBAL IN YOUR SORE HAND. (NO TE CREAS, PENDEJO! Yeah I edited this post. You are banned. Musicians Wisdom Communicate! It can't make things any worse.

drumsftw

TimJ

Posts: 27
Joined: Sep 3, 2009

No. 23 Posted on Sep 4, 2009 2:17 AM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

does your friend also put them in between his hats and when he gets hungry just has a bite out of them? i use brass cleaner... just dont put it over any logos because it takes them clean off.

crash

Posts: 1
Joined: Jan 2, 2010

No. 24 Posted on Jan 2, 2010 9:27 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

The way I clean my cymbals is I take a metal polish for light cleaning, but if you have really bad tarnished cymbals to take some industrial strength metal cleaner found out any Automotive store.

DrJosiah

Posts: 62
Joined: Dec 27, 2009

No. 25 Posted on Jan 3, 2010 2:25 PM	Profile \| PM \| Email \| Quote \| Search \| Copy \| Favorite

Windex. The ketchup thing is just for the acid in it, there are better ways to use acidic type cleaners.

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