One important notice at the beginning: TurtleCare is NOT AN OIL! TurtleCare is an innovative HIGH-PERFORMANCE CERAMIC COATING based on liquid ceramics, protecting your instrument particularly well against corrosion, cold and dirt.
General Handpan Care Tips
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Avoid Prolonged Sunlight Exposure: Excessive heat can negatively affect the instrument’s tension and tuning. If your handpan has been exposed to the sun, simply wait until it has cooled down before playing.
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Dry Clean After Each Session: Use a dedicated microfiber cloth to wipe away natural acids, dirt, and residues. The porous surface of the metal tends to absorb various impurities, which can make your handpan more prone to rust, and alter its appearance. Especially with nitrided handpans.
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Avoid Humid and Salty Environments: Salty humidity can harm handpans, especially during dusk and dawn. While you can still enjoy your handpan at the beach, always remember to dry wipe it clean afterwards. And keep your (hard)case closed to prevent it from being exposed to damp, salty air. Store your handpan in the (hard)case immediately after use.
-> dehumidifiers are helpful, but they are limited, you should not fully rely on them.
-> If your (hard)case is moist inside, let it dry before you store your instrument inside, otherwise the risk for rust is extremely high. There is a chance that a dangerous microclimate will form.
Introducing HandpanCare Ceramic Coating.
To enhance your handpan's maintenance, we recommend TurtleCare Ceramic Coating. It's not an oil, which can affect overtones over time. This coating stays on the surface.
This specially formulated coating provides exceptional protection for handpans, especially for nitrided steel handpans. If you use oil, keep in mind, that oil might affect the overtones if used longterm. Especially overtone heavy instruments will suffer from the use of oil, as the oil changes the surface of the steel, as it does not stay on the surface, but enters the material. The ceramic coating instead stays on the surface.
To apply the coating to your instrument, we recommend using any material that does not or just slightly absorb the liquid, we recommend dry paper.
How to Use TurtleCare Ceramic Coating
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Application:
First, shake the bottle with the liquid.
Place a few drops of TurtleCare Ceramic Coating on your handpan and distribute it evenly using a non-absorbing tissue or paper. -
Evaporation:
Allow approximately 10 minutes for the coating to evaporate, leaving a protective ceramic film. It can withstand temperatures of 300-400 °C.
For Handpan Makers
In fact, our tests with nitrided steel have shown that interesting colors can be achieved by applying the product before the heat treatment. Which could be especially interesting for makers.
Also the temperature withstand makes it possible to apply TurtleCare during all phases of the manufacturing process, which is especially helpful if you have some sensible material to work with.
Before delivering the handpan to the customer or performing at a concert, it is advisable to treat the instrument with HandpanCare Ceramic Coating for extra protection. For those who frequently travel with their handpans, our practical TurtleCare 100ml Bottle is the perfect companion. The 300 ml is also good for travelling, but it might be restricted in some countries. Please inform yourself before the travel.
Don’t forget, if you travel with your instrument: Don’t leave it in your hardcase/ softcase/ backpack for the whole time of your travel – experience has shown that depending on the climate it might rust.
Handpan Storage Recommendations
While storing your handpan in a hard case is made more convenient with HandpanCare Ceramic Coating, we don’t recommend it. Depending on the moisture and the missing air circulation, there is the chance for a microclimate inside the case, althought TurtleCare or an oil provides protection.
Floor stands or wall mounts are better suited for storage. TurtleCare Ceramic Coating also offers excellent sliding properties, ensuring that your handpan always feels smooth and clean. Additionally, if you have previously used oil on your handpan, it is important to degrease it thoroughly before applying our Ceramic Coating.