Frequently Asked Questions

While any lubricant will work on carbon fiber, we have found the following lubricants to provide the best results:

1. Yamaha Trombone Slide Lubricant (Purple Bottle, AKA Yama-Snot)

Why we like it: By far our favorite and best performing, this lubricant has proven to consistently deliver great results on carbon fiber. This is largely due to the fact that it can be used very effectively without water (a massive bonus for carbon fiber) and has a medium-thin viscosity that suits the tolerances of our slides quite well. It is very durable and long lasting and will not separate or degrade when exposed to hot temperatures, like the trunk of your car in August.

2. Monster Oils Trombone Slide Cream

Why we like it: This lubricant is new to the market, but in our limited testing it has performed extraordinarily well on carbon fiber! It is listed as a “cream,” but it is actually more like a thicker version of Yama-Snot or Slide-O-Mix Rapid Comfort. We have found the thicker viscosity to enable us to use an extremely small amount on the slide-applying it to the stockings as you would with slide creams-and gradually wiping off the excess as we work it into the tubes.

It’s thicker viscosity makes it very durable, even in small quantities, and enables us to apply a thinner coating than most other lubricants we’ve tried.

Please note: This lubricant will sometimes cause a faster residue build-up on your carbon fiber slide. This can create a more frequent need to clean and swab your slide than with other lubricants on this list.

3. Slide-O-Mix Rapid Comfort

Why we like it: This lubricant is a slightly thicker viscosity version of Yama-Snot, falling neatly between the Yamaha Slide Lubricant and Monster Oil Trombone Slide Cream. It functions exactly like Yama-Snot in almost every way, though will require slightly less lubricant than with the Yamaha due to it’s thicker viscosity.

Please Note: The biggest drawback to this lubricant is it’s general sensitivity to hot temperatures. When exposed to heat, this lubricant tends to separate and will not reconstitute when it returns to room temperature. This can trash a perfectly good bottle of lubricant in a hurry. If you use this lubricant, take care to store it away from heat, like keeping your instrument in a trunk during summer months.

4. Carnuba Wax (Food Grade)

Why we like it: This lubricant is unique, but can work well on carbon fiber if applied properly.

We recommend applying a finger tip size amount to a soft, lint-free cloth, and using the cloth to massage the lubricant onto the inner slide. Remove excess by wiping tubes with your bare hand (a cloth will remove too much). Spritz with water as needed while playing.

5. Rubbing Alcohol Spritz

Why we like it: This is, by far, the most unique lubricant method we recommend. In fact, rubbing alcohol hardly fits the definition of a lubricant at all!

It works because it removes all moisture that accumulates inside the slide while playing. Since carbon fiber slides perform best when clean and dry, rubbing alcohol effectively cleans and dries your slide as you play!

Please note: For best results, use a less diluted variant of rubbing alcohol. Most household rubbing alcohol is 70/30, or roughly 30% water. We suggest using 90/10. The less the alcohol is diluted, the less water it introduces into the slide and the drier your slide will be as it is applied, keeping the slide more dry as you play.

This approach will likely require frequent applications while playing, and individual results may vary.

For more information on lubricating carbon fiber slides, click HERE.