Is it ok to remove one power tube from a 5E3 Deluxe for troubleshooting purposes?

[Enzo]

I use a brass end brush on my Dremel to clean tube pins. Like the bottom one in this image:
https://jet.com/product/detail/aff7f...1-b8660f52509b

Remember that on octal tubes, not only could your pins be dirty, but sometimes the solder inside the pin fails. An octal tube starts life with wire pins like a 12AX7, but they are slipped into a plug base and the wires are soldered into the pins. Thinking back on every instance of open heater in an octal tube, I think they have all been a failure of that solder rather than an actual open heater element. A failing solder joint in a pin could make it noisy.

[Randall]

I would not use grit on a tube pin or any electrical contact that is plated. (I started out life as an electroplater). My method is to use a fresh pencil eraser on tube pins. Personally I have never had a problem with spritzing or dabbing tube pins with DeOxit and then inserting the tube and rocking it circularly a bit to clean the socket. I have never bothered to wash it off after, I just let it dry before powering up. No problems that I am aware of, once the socket warms up and dries out it looks good to me.

[Pdavis68]

I think the key with Deoxit on sockets or tube pins is to make sure you clean it all off afterwards. Maybe use the fast-drying version and maybe a little post-cleaning with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue. I've read stories of deoxit causing conduction between pins (put on too thick, not cleaned off well, dirt accumulation, whatever).

[TimmyP1955]

On nasty pins, I use Crocus Cloth. It's finer than the 1500 that I clean pool cue shafts with.

[g1]

On nasty pins, I use Crocus Cloth. It's finer than the 1500 that I clean pool cue shafts with.

Do you know the exact type? I tried to find some once and it seems 'crocus cloth' is a pretty generic term. Some are 800 to 900 grit, some are called 'ultra fine' etc.