white ivories with no seams

[Steve Brady]

On Sun, 9 Apr 1995 Tcoates@aol.com wrote:

>
> I service several Steinways that have developed chipped ivory keys.  These
> tops have next to no sign of a seam between the head and the tail.  Are these
> seams beveled?  If so, which way?  They are beautiful on the orginals, but I
> can't find a way duplicate them.
>
      These sound like the Kluge ivory keyboards which, I believe, had
one-piece ivory keytops.

> Getting all the keys the same color depends on matching the old and new.  The
> old tops on one set seems to be an off white and I can't get the old and new
> to match.  I have heard of using bleach on the old to make them whiter.   Has
> anyone done this before?   Any other ideas?  Is this a lost art?

      Both Bill Smith of the Seattle chapter and Richard Wagner of the
Portland, OR chapter are experts on bleaching and matching ivories.
They're both in the PTG directory, and both are working on articles for
the Journal on these topics.


Steve Brady, RPT        "The most expert and rapid tuners are...
University of Washington       possessed of a highly excitable,
sbrady@u.washington.edu        nervous, and emotional temperament,
                         verging on the border of insanity at times."
                              -Daniel Spillane, The Tuner's Guide