Declan Curran 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 Dear All, What is the best solution for cleaning old grungy metal pipes, soap & water, alcohol ? Also, pronunciation of GEMSHORN. Is it JEM as in precious gems or GEM as in a game of rugby. I have heard both Regards, Chauncey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pwhodges 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 The OED and Chambers agree on only admitting hard g, following its German origin; but I too have heard both, and probably uttered both, with a tendency towards j. Paul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
innate 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 What is the best solution for cleaning old grungy metal pipes, soap & water, alcohol ? Sorry, not my department. Also, pronunciation of GEMSHORN. Is it JEM as in precious gems or GEM as in a game of rugby. I have heard both I think Gems is a Dutch word meaning goat or chamois, so either a hard g as in get or, maybe, a raspy throat noise as in van Goch. Not a j as in gemstone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Simon Walker 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 Dear All,What is the best solution for cleaning old grungy metal pipes, soap & water, alcohol ? I'm sure someone more experienced that me will answer this - but I don't see what harm soap and water could do. You just have to be careful when handling as the will bend very easily. If you have wooden pipes to clean too, that's where you'll need to avoid prolonged contact with water. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Sayer 0 Report post Posted April 2, 2011 The OED and Chambers agree on only admitting hard g, following its German origin; but I too have heard both, and probably uttered both, with a tendency towards j. Paul G is always hard in German (except in loan words). die Gemse = chamois, cf, French Cor de chamois. But then we English make a canine repast of most foreign stop names. The one that really gets my goat (forgive the pun) is 'Possawn' for Posaune (a wonderfully resonant 3 syllables, as in 'die letzte Posaune' - the Last Trump). JS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MatthewB 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 There used to be a organ builder who used to clean old pipes with hyrochloric acid and pass them of as new pipes, but i think thats going a bit far Matthew Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davidb 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 When we cleaned our organ pipes, the exteriors were cleaned with warm water and fairy liquid, the interiors with paint brushes of various sizes depending on the size of the pipe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barry Oakley 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 Dear All,What is the best solution for cleaning old grungy metal pipes, soap & water, alcohol ? Also, pronunciation of GEMSHORN. Is it JEM as in precious gems or GEM as in a game of rugby. I have heard both Regards, Chauncey More often the interiors of normal lead/tin flue pipes are cleaned with very long brushes after the style of large diameter bottle brushes, but I have known a solution of caustic soda in a bath or trough to be used followed by a thorough flushing with clean water. The caustic soda approach would not be recommended for decorated, polished or copper pipes. As for Gemshorn I've heard both a soft and hard 'G' used and I don't know which is correct. And like John Robinson I don't like Posaune pronounced as Posawn but rather prefer the correct, German pronunciation - "POS-OW!-NER." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vox Humana 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 As for Gemshorn I've heard both a soft and hard 'G' used and I don't know which is correct. Well, I can only repeat what others have made clear above. There's really no authority for "jems-horn", or for the even more crass "jem-shorn" (I've heard both!) The ones that confuse me are the ones that are partially "Englished", e.g. Wald Flute. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Robinson 0 Report post Posted April 3, 2011 More often the interiors of normal lead/tin flue pipes are cleaned with very long brushes after the style of large diameter bottle brushes, but I have known a solution of caustic soda in a bath or trough to be used followed by a thorough flushing with clean water. The caustic soda approach would not be recommended for decorated, polished or copper pipes. As for Gemshorn I've heard both a soft and hard 'G' used and I don't know which is correct. And like John Robinson I don't like Posaune pronounced as Posawn but rather prefer the correct, German pronunciation - "POS-OW!-NER." It was John Sayer, actually (!), but I feel the same about Posaune. I prefer Gemshorn with a hard 'g', too. Both words come from the German, so perhaps should be pronounced in German! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
