For the Basic Maintenance of a Cornet, you will need;

Cornet
Valve Oil
Slide Grease

and

THIS INSTRUCTABLE! ! !

Step 1: Emptying the Water (Lead Pipe Water Key)

The first step of basic maintenance of your cornet is to empty the water. Or, if you want to be realistic, emptying your spit. To do this, hold your cornet up properly as if you are about to play, then set your cornet down with the bell facing your right. You will see on your left the mouthpiece. The tubing that it is attached to is called the Lead Pipe. If you follow the lead pipe, you will soon come to a movable button, or what is more commonly known as the Lead Pipe Water Key. If you look above at the second image given, you can double check to make sure you have the right key. Now that you know where that is, pick up your instrument as if you were about to play. Once you have done this, find your lead pipe water key and press it to where it opens up as shown above. Now, as you hold it open, start to gently blow air through your cornet. Do not buzz, but keep building up pressure. Soon, water should come out. You have just emptied the water from your lead pipe water key.

Step 2: Emptying the Water (Third Valve Slide Water Key)

This is the second step of basic maintenance, if you can recall how we put our cornet down in the previous step your doing Great!! Set it down exactly like that. Now we will flip your cornet around to where we set it down with the bell facing your left. On your far right you will see the mouthpiece. Next to the mouthpiece there are three valves. Going in order from right to left is, First Valve, Second Valve, and then Third Valve. Third valve is the closest valve to the bell, connected to third valve you will see a slide with a ring attached to it. This is called your third valve slide. At the end of it you may recognize another water key. Now that you know where that is, pick up your instrument as if you were about to play. Once you have done this, find your third valve slide water key and press it as shown above. Now as you hold it open start to gently blow air through your cornet but do not buzz, keep building up pressure but not a lot, soon water should come out. You have just successfully emptied the water out of your third valve side.

Step 3: Oiling the Valves (First Valve)

To oil your valves you will need valve oil. There are many different brands of valve oil. I personally recommend Ultra-Pure, Zaja Blue, and Vincent Bach Valve Oil. The downside, unfortunately, is these particular valve oils are expensive. If you want a more basic brand of oil I'd suggest, Al Class Fast, Conn, or Blue Juice. Lay your cornet down bell on your right.

Now, if you look at your valves, you will see three of them. The one closest to the mouthpiece is the first valve, then second, and last third. We are working with the first valve. The one closest to the mouthpiece. If you look down at it from the top you will see a base. take hold of the edging of this base and turn it to the left. Soon it should become so loose the base itself is free. Pull the head of the valve out to where it's completely out of the valve casing.

Next you will hold the valve at the top with your non dominant hand and take the valve oil with your dominant hand. As you oil the bottom half of the valve rotate the valve in your non dominant hand so that it turns a full 360° and gets contact with the oil on every side. When you have completed this take the valve in your dominant hand and insert it back in the valve casing, but DO NOT secure the base. Take the valve almost completely back out about halfway and gently start turning it slowly to the right while it is going in and once you hear a click take the loose base and turn it to the right until it is secure.

Step 4: Oiling the Valves (Second Valve)

Lay your cornet down bell on your right. Now if you look at your valves you will see three of them, the one closest to the mouthpiece is the first valve, then second, and last third. We are working with the second valve. The one that is in the center the middle valve. If you look down at it from the top you will see a base, take hold of the edging of this base and turn it to the left. Soon it should become so loose the base itself is free. Pull the head of the valve out to where it's completely out of the valve casing. Next you will hold the valve at the top with your non dominant hand and take the valve oil with your dominant hand. As you oil the bottom half of the valve rotate the valve in your non dominant hand so that it turns a full 360° and gets contact with the oil on every side. When you have completed this take the valve in your dominant hand and insert it back in the valve casing, but DO NOT secure the base. Take the valve almost completely back out about halfway and gently start turning it slowly to the right while it is going in and once you hear a click take the loose base and turn it to the right until it is secure.

Step 5: Oiling the Valves (Third Valve)

Lay your cornet down bell on your right. Now if you look at your valves you will see three of them, the one closest to the mouthpiece is the first valve, then second, and last third. We are working with the third valve. The one closest to the bell. If you look down at it from the top you will see a base, take hold of the edging of this base and turn it to the left. Soon it should become so loose the base itself is free. Pull the head of the valve out to where it's completely out of the valve casing. Next you will hold the valve at the top with your non dominant hand and take the valve oil with your dominant hand. As you oil the bottom half of the valve rotate the valve in your non dominant hand so that it turns a full 360° and gets contact with the oil on every side. When you have completed this take the valve in your dominant hand and insert it back in the valve casing, but DO NOT secure the base. Take the valve almost completely back out about halfway and gently start turning it slowly to the right while it is going in and once you hear a click take the loose base and turn it to the right until it is secure.

Step 6: Greasing the Slides (First Valve Slide)

Hold the first valve down while you pull the first valve slide out. Once it is out, take you slide grease and if it using a tube squeeze a generous amount onto your finger. If it is in a small container, like the one shown dig a generous amount of it out on your finger. Once this is done take your slide. If you paid any attention while taking the slide out you would have noticed the difference of the part the goes into the instrument compared to what's not. The part that was inside the instrument spread the grease all over it, around it, on it, everywhere. Once this is done put it back into the instrument but be careful, push the first valve down as you put the slide back in. Clean any excess grease that may have gotten on the Instrument.

Step 7: Greasing the Slides (Second Valve Slide)

Hold the second valve down while you pull the second valve slide out. Once it is out, take you slide grease and if it using a tube squeeze a generous amount onto your finger. If it is in a small container, like the one shown dig a generous amount of it out on your finger. Once this is done take your slide. If you paid any attention while taking the slide out you would have noticed the difference of the part the goes into the instrument compared to what's not. The part that was inside the instrument spread the grease all over it, around it, on it, everywhere. Once this is done put it back into the instrument but be careful, push the second valve down as you put the slide back in. Clean any excess grease that may have gotten on the Instrument.

Step 8: Greasing the Slides (Third Valve Slide)

Hold the third valve down while you pull the third valve slide out. Once it is out, take you slide grease and if it using a tube squeeze a generous amount onto your finger. If it is in a small container, like the one shown dig a generous amount of it out on your finger. Once this is done take your slide. If you paid any attention while taking the slide out you would have noticed the difference of the part the goes into the instrument compared to what's not. The part that was inside the instrument spread the grease all over it, around it, on it, everywhere. Once this is done put it back into the instrument but be careful, push the third valve down as you put the slide back in. Clean any excess grease that may have gotten on the Instrument.