Thanks all...

Will go the cleaning route first as that certainly seems to be the
easiest to do. On the suction comment - interesting, never thought of
it that way. I had the opposite experience on the lathe tail stock.
Bought a chuck with morse taper...used it and was quite happy with the
results. THEN - when I tried to remove it it was stuck solid (or
suctioned on solid).

I don't have a fancy lathe so there was no way to insert a rod to knock
it out, like on the General and others. I eventually got it out by
using an open end wrench with some tape on it, fitted the wrench behind
it - between the chuck and the tail stock and gave it a couple of hard
smacks. It drove it clear across the room! Must be some excellent
steel in it because there wasn't a mark on it.

As for misunderstanding... "Everyone has to see something for the first
time!"

Will report back on how it goes.

You are clever people

Keith