# How to polish a bugle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714 "2019-09-05T00:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/1 "2019-09-05T00:27:44Z")
I have just come into possession of a bugle that was ostensibly a military bugle from when my father was in the Marines in the 1940s. Can this be polished without damaging it? I don’t know if this is lacquered, which I believe you do not polish. It is in very good condition but not spit-polish shiny. I would like to restore it to top condition and display it. He didn’t play it; I believe he had it as a ceremonial/decorative piece that I’ve been told was quite common among Marine officers. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/2 "2019-09-05T00:42:28Z")
Picture? I’m assuming it’s an actual bugle (no valves or “buttons” or sliding bits) and not some sort of trumpet or small slide instrument or whatever. Also assuming it’s brass and not silver. Should be lacquered and it should be reasonably obvious if it is or not (dull or kind of shiny if you rub it with a cloth?). If so, it just takes a bit of TLC. Run a warm bath with a bit of mild soap (lukewarm - too hot to touch is too hot for lacquer). Soak the instrument for a good while - 20-40 minutes. Run a snake brush through the innards to get any of the gunk out. Rinse off any soapy water dry a bit, and apply any slide cream or valve oil (if it is a trumpet or other brass instrument). Then take a decent cloth and apply some (gentle) elbow grease to shine it up. For instruments you play regularly, this is something to be done 2-3 times a year. For a display piece, really you should only need to take a cloth and polish it up sometimes and skip the baths. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/3 "2019-09-05T00:46:45Z")
Also, once you have it shiny, put on some thin gloves. Even a little skin contact is obvious on an instrument. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/4 "2019-09-05T01:26:08Z")
It is a bugle, though a short one (only one loop of tubing). I will post a photo. It is playable but seems to be in a higher register (I do not really play brass instruments but I’m not totally clueless either). I can’t quite sort out what key it is. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/5 "2019-09-05T01:33:58Z")
Pix [![](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle1.jpeg) ](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle1.jpeg) [![](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle2.jpeg) ](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/6 "2019-09-05T02:21:49Z")
Certain antiques/collectibles with original “patina” can be seriously devalued by cleaning/polishing - I don’t know if that’s the case here, but would look into it before messing with it. (FWIW, it looks quite nice as-is to me - why not let it show its age, rather than trying to make it super shiny?) ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/7 "2019-09-05T02:46:16Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Certain antiques/collectibles with original “patina” can be seriously devalued by cleaning/polishing - I don’t know if that’s the case here, but would look into it before messing with it. I would have said the same after reading the OP. Seldom is any antique piece of metal improved in value by cleaning and polishing, and the opposite often occurs. At most I would suggest a coat of ‘Renascence Wax’ to keep it in it’s current state. Museums use ‘ren wax’ for just that reason. You can find it on the web. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/8 "2019-09-05T03:04:00Z")
That does look like it’s been lacquered. Since you’re not going to play it, probably no need for a bath. That’s really more if they’ve been played and collected a bunch of gunk inside. Mostly, you can use a dry cloth and work by hand. It will take a bit of time and effort, since there appears to be at least a few years worth of surface grime. There are also some products safe for brass instruments you can get online or at a music shop that can shortcut the process. You’ll want to be a little careful with those, but they will produce a nice, shiny polish. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/9 "2019-09-05T11:20:20Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Certain antiques/collectibles with original “patina” can be seriously devalued by cleaning/polishing - I don’t know if that’s the case here, but would look into it before messing with it. > > (FWIW, it looks quite nice as-is to me - why not let it show its age, rather than trying to make it super shiny?) That thought has occurred to me. The question is: Do I treat this as antique/collectible, or do I treat it as a military instrument that should be restored to its original luster? I don’t care about its market value. Its only value to me is as an artifact from my father’s past, but I also don’t want to ruin it. I am not going to rush into anything. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/10 "2019-09-05T12:03:54Z")
Are you going to play it? No? Then don’t try to restore it; just give the occasional dusting. My aunt’s ghost is now crying remembering that time the new lady cleaned the statue of St. Benedict… (17th century). ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/11 "2019-09-05T13:03:48Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > That thought has occurred to me. The question is: Do I treat this as antique/collectible, or do I treat it as a military instrument that should be restored to its original luster? I don’t care about its market value. Its only value to me is as an artifact from my father’s past, but I also don’t want to ruin it. > > I am not going to rush into anything. You could have the bugle stripped of old lacquer, polished and then re lacquered. Here’s one site that offers [restoration services](http://www.doctorvalve.com/Services.html), and I’m sure that there are lots more on the web. You could also do this as a DIY project, but I don’t think it would turn out as well as a pro service. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/12 "2019-09-05T14:54:27Z")
I thought perhaps the thread title was a euphemism. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/13 "2019-09-05T15:17:13Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I thought perhaps the thread title was a euphemism. I came in to post the exact same thing. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/14 "2019-09-05T16:06:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I thought perhaps the thread title was a euphemism. Jergens? ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/15 "2019-09-05T16:44:33Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I thought perhaps the thread title was a euphemism. **How to polish a bugle?** Is that what the kids are calling it these days? ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/16 "2019-09-05T16:58:22Z")
I once knew a guy who frenched his own trumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/17 "2019-09-05T17:10:36Z")
Yeah, I was also thinking that this was one of the more evocative Verbing the Noun phrases I’ve heard in awhile. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/18 "2019-09-05T18:28:07Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Pix > > [http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle1.jpeg](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle1.jpeg) > [http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle2.jpeg](http://www.seiglefamily.com/data/bugle2.jpeg) That’s a clarion, probably in C or B-flat, which is about all I can tell you from the photograph. There are lots of relatively modern examples as they’re in demand by Civil War reenactors, and they might have seen D&B Corps or ceremonial use, so there’s no telling how old it is. It looks pretty clean. I wouldn’t be inclined to do anything until I knew what I had. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/19 "2019-09-05T18:52:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I thought perhaps the thread title was a euphemism. I scanned the title too fast without my glasses. I thought it said “how to polish a beagle.” ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714/20 "2019-09-05T19:08:36Z")
You can polish it anytime but it will take you roughly 70 years to get that patina back. Are you sure you want to polish it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-polish-a-bugle/839714.md?page=2)