Damo's cymbal cleaning guide

***Damo*** · 02-29-2008, 12:36 AM

Ive written up my method for cleaning cymbals, which Ive had one or two reequests for - So here it is.

Enjoy.

http://www.drum.com.au/lessons/cym.pdf

Please feel free to ask any questions on here or email me at [email]info@damienpetrilli.com[/email] for more information.

Cheers!

Inkstar · 02-29-2008, 07:23 AM

Killer. Thanks man.

Panopticon · 02-29-2008, 08:00 AM

sweet guide...i might actually try this on some of my brilliant cymbals.

crazyguy832 · 02-29-2008, 08:42 AM

Definetely the best guide to cymbal cleaning I've seen so far.

Definetely reminds me that I should at least get some soap on my cymbals every once in a while. Still don't like any of the sprays, even diluted as they would be, but this is definetely better than how most people clean their cymbals.

(and I kinda like the sound of aged cymbals... B8's in particular age so well it's not even funny o_O)

Drum Phil · 02-29-2008, 09:30 AM

Im giving mine a once over with soap now

As i dont actually have any sprays.

Working alright so far.

***Damo*** · 02-29-2008, 05:55 PM

The soap is great for removing dust and oils, which means the spray will have greater effect when its applied.

ThatOneDrummer · 02-29-2008, 10:32 PM

that was really great!
but no matter how much evidence there may be to the contrary, im still terrified of putting water on my cymbals...

***Damo*** · 03-01-2008, 12:05 AM

^ Theres really no need to be, provided you dry them adequately.

Drum Phil · 03-02-2008, 03:37 PM

Well like i said in your other thread Damo, the soap brought out the shine in them. Theres still finger prints but they dont bother me much.

***Damo*** · 03-02-2008, 05:41 PM

^ Good stuff Phil.

Youll find that the next step with cymbal cleaner will probably help you with the fingerprints.

Drum Phil · 03-02-2008, 05:45 PM

Lemon juice does the trick too

I just turned your guide into a household product cymbal cleaning guide.

Im not bothered about the fingerprints because my cymbals dont leave the house, except for rehearsal rooms.

\m/-CHeV-\m/ · 03-13-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drum Phil

Lemon juice does the trick too

I just turned your guide into a household product cymbal cleaning guide.

Im not bothered about the fingerprints because my cymbals dont leave the house, except for rehearsal rooms.

sorry for bumping this thread, i needed the guide, but read this last post and thought i NEEDED to say it, since noone else did.. lemon juice is an ACID. although it isn't very concentrated, it still is. this will get you cymbals to corrode as quick as a blink! DON'T OVERUSE

***Damo*** · 03-13-2008, 05:43 PM

Cymbal cleaner is acidic also - Thats how it works

Carn · 03-14-2008, 05:43 AM

Good stuff. I rarely (almost never) clean my cymbals, if I do its just warm water with mild soap.

GooseFilms.net · 03-15-2008, 01:54 AM

i remember the first time i cleaned my cymbals, I had ZBTs and i used groove juice. i accidentally didnt dry the cymbal completely, and made the stupid mistake of leaving the used cleaning rag ontop of the cymbal. so the rag got covered in groove juice and ate through the lacquer coating of the cymbal. sucked, but at least it was a ZBT.

Aaron · 04-13-2008, 04:25 AM

Would it work on one that's almost lost its brilliance, like, really dodgy ones?

***Damo*** · 07-20-2008, 10:46 AM

Yes, but I think you'll need to be realistic with your expectations, though.

bobby__johnny · 07-30-2008, 01:57 PM

Damo, i ask this knowing you had a similar (if not the same) cymbal. My 18" Carmine Appice Sig China, being made of an alloy other than Bronze, would your detergent method still be safe for the alloy?

***Damo*** · 08-03-2008, 09:24 AM

Yep. Shouldnt be a problem at all.

The big fear most people have with water is that it discolours copper. However, this would not happen straight away anyway, and so provided you dont leave the cymbal wet for days, you should in fact be at a lesser risk with your Appice alloy than that with copper.

DxRocker · 08-04-2008, 08:54 AM

ok, so I have a question...

I noticed on my bell the other day that there are some green marks appearing on there... Maybe some kind of fungus. I don't think it's "inside" the cymbal, just on the surface.

I expect to be able to clean it off quite easily though.

But the question I have is: what caused it to collect - what I can only describe as - a fungus? (hoping that to be the correct english term that is...)

02-29-2008, 12:36 AM	#1
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	Damo's cymbal cleaning guide Ive written up my method for cleaning cymbals, which Ive had one or two reequests for - So here it is. Enjoy. http://www.drum.com.au/lessons/cym.pdf Please feel free to ask any questions on here or email me at [email]info@damienpetrilli.com[/email] for more information. Cheers!

04-13-2008, 04:25 AM	#16
Aaron Schnitzel'd Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Wollongong Posts: 22,161	Would it work on one that's almost lost its brilliance, like, really dodgy ones?
	Digging: Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night

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02-29-2008, 07:23 AM	#2
Inkstar MXDP Sonor Club Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cairns, Australia Posts: 3,329	Killer. Thanks man.

02-29-2008, 08:00 AM	#3
Panopticon MXDP Stoner Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ٩๏̯͡๏)۶ Posts: 16,717	sweet guide...i might actually try this on some of my brilliant cymbals.

02-29-2008, 08:42 AM	#4
crazyguy832 He Who Knows More Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Than He Can Play... AWAY!!! Posts: 6,062	Definetely the best guide to cymbal cleaning I've seen so far. Definetely reminds me that I should at least get some soap on my cymbals every once in a while. Still don't like any of the sprays, even diluted as they would be, but this is definetely better than how most people clean their cymbals. (and I kinda like the sound of aged cymbals... B8's in particular age so well it's not even funny o_O)

02-29-2008, 09:30 AM	#5
Drum Phil Electrohead Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shíthole-on-tees, UK Posts: 22,830	Im giving mine a once over with soap now As i dont actually have any sprays. Working alright so far.

02-29-2008, 05:55 PM	#6
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	The soap is great for removing dust and oils, which means the spray will have greater effect when its applied.

02-29-2008, 10:32 PM	#7
ThatOneDrummer MX Lone Dream Theater Fan Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In the temple of awesomeness of AAX Stage Hats Posts: 1,580	that was really great! but no matter how much evidence there may be to the contrary, im still terrified of putting water on my cymbals...

03-01-2008, 12:05 AM	#8
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	^ Theres really no need to be, provided you dry them adequately.

03-02-2008, 03:37 PM	#9
Drum Phil Electrohead Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shíthole-on-tees, UK Posts: 22,830	Well like i said in your other thread Damo, the soap brought out the shine in them. Theres still finger prints but they dont bother me much.

03-02-2008, 05:41 PM	#10
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	^ Good stuff Phil. Youll find that the next step with cymbal cleaner will probably help you with the fingerprints.

03-02-2008, 05:45 PM	#11
Drum Phil Electrohead Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shíthole-on-tees, UK Posts: 22,830	Lemon juice does the trick too I just turned your guide into a household product cymbal cleaning guide. Im not bothered about the fingerprints because my cymbals dont leave the house, except for rehearsal rooms.

03-13-2008, 05:43 PM	#13
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	Cymbal cleaner is acidic also - Thats how it works

03-14-2008, 05:43 AM	#14
Carn visit www.metalrage.com Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Netherlands Posts: 5,687	Good stuff. I rarely (almost never) clean my cymbals, if I do its just warm water with mild soap.

03-15-2008, 01:54 AM	#15
GooseFilms.net MXDP Old Guy Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Probably stealing Electric Requiem's mandala... Posts: 4,858	i remember the first time i cleaned my cymbals, I had ZBTs and i used groove juice. i accidentally didnt dry the cymbal completely, and made the stupid mistake of leaving the used cleaning rag ontop of the cymbal. so the rag got covered in groove juice and ate through the lacquer coating of the cymbal. sucked, but at least it was a ZBT.

07-20-2008, 10:46 AM	#17
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	Yes, but I think you'll need to be realistic with your expectations, though.

07-30-2008, 01:57 PM	#18
bobby__johnny Deep-Dish Snare Action Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The John, New Brunswick - Canada Posts: 11,742	Damo, i ask this knowing you had a similar (if not the same) cymbal. My 18" Carmine Appice Sig China, being made of an alloy other than Bronze, would your detergent method still be safe for the alloy?

08-03-2008, 09:24 AM	#19
*Damo* D&P Supermod Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 6,877	Yep. Shouldnt be a problem at all. The big fear most people have with water is that it discolours copper. However, this would not happen straight away anyway, and so provided you dont leave the cymbal wet for days, you should in fact be at a lesser risk with your Appice alloy than that with copper.

08-04-2008, 08:54 AM	#20
DxRocker Istanbul Ambassador Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: planet earth Posts: 5,608	ok, so I have a question... I noticed on my bell the other day that there are some green marks appearing on there... Maybe some kind of fungus. I don't think it's "inside" the cymbal, just on the surface. I expect to be able to clean it off quite easily though. But the question I have is: what caused it to collect - what I can only describe as - a fungus? (hoping that to be the correct english term that is...)