How to Oil French Horn Rotors

Oiling French horn rotors will ensure that they slide effortlessly through the valve casing and provide a clear and effective tone. Sluggish rotors lessen the effectiveness of the French horn's tone and flexibility. When oiling valves make sure to use a specialized rotor oil designed for the French horn, and use the same oil each time to avoid mixing oils that don't work well together. Mixing oils can gum up the valves and make them operate worse than if you had put in no oil at all.

Step 1 Remove the top valve cap from the casing by turning it counterclockwise. This will expose the inside rotor allowing you to apply oil directly to the top of the rotor.

Step 2 Apply three to four drops of oil directly to the center of the rotor valve and move the trigger back and forth to ensure that the oil is evenly distributed throughout the rotor.

Step 3 Replace the valve cap on top of the casing by turning it clockwise. Make sure the top lines up correctly so that you don't strip the valve casing threads.

Step 4 Turn the French horn over and apply three to four drops of oil into the hole in the bottom of the rotor valve casing. Move the trigger to ensure that the oil is distributed.