Ivory keytop salvaging

Ron Torrella torrella@umich.edu
Fri Sep 17 15:27 MDT 1999


How it ended:

Well, I decided that since the key itself was headed to the wood scrap
pile, I could afford to get it good and wet. So, I turned on the hot water
faucet, let her get nasty hot, and shoved the whole keyhead under the
falls. Using a very thin painter's pallet knife (I think that's what it's
called), I worked up an edge and let the water do its thing.

Voila! Came right off! No chipping, no nicking, no breaking.

After I sanded it to a nice, white finish (it was pretty yellow to begin
with!), I glued it to the new keytop (CA glue, what else!), then proceeded
to carefully score the bottom-side of the ivory (using a very sharp
utility blade) - length-wise first. I did this far enough away from the
side of the key so that I could sand the remnant down flush to the side. I
did the same across the front of the key although cutting width-wise
seemed to take a bit more time (across the grain?). I prevailed,
nonetheless. Patience intact.

I then sanded the overhangs flush with the front and sides of the keytop
and buffed it. Looks beautiful! Lots of compliments from someone who
doesn't usually pay such compliments.

Ending on a happy note (in Thomas Young WT), I'm going home to do some
more work....moonlighting.

Have a good weekend, y'all!

Ron Torrella, RPT



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