Does anyone know how to unstick french horn keys/valves?

Question

So I am a seasoned musician (well, as far as high school goes) but my horn has sat idle for a month. I would like to unstick the keys/valves at home and not have to spend the money to go to a professional. Time is a key element. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

Hey there.  Simple answer.  You are going to have to disassemble the valves...I would do it one at a time...  Clean and re-lubricate them with valve oil.  Be careful with the strings... but I think you can do it yourself without problems.    

Answer 2

Please DO NOT take apart your valves.  If you haven't done this before I highly recommend not doing it on your own. Getting it apart isn't hard, but putting it back together can cause problems. Not to mention that it is posible to lose or damage parts.

Instead, flood the valves with some valve oil and let them sit for a while. Try turning the rotor (little part that turns that the string ties to) by hand. Do not try to for the levers down, it requires a lot less force to just use your fingers to turn the rotor and is less likely to damage the instrument.

Not to get preachy, but valves don't get stuck when you regularly practice. Practice frequently and oil your valves!