Knuckle leather

[Ron Torrella]

On Thu, 25 May 1995, Newton Hunt wrote:

>
> Hi, Conrad,
>     You are on track about nap orientation although I like mine
> horizontal on the couch.

[yuk yuk]

>     One little trick you might try before changing knuckles.  Using a
> brass bristled bruch vigously brush the nuckles so that all the gunk is
> removed and the impressions left by jack and rep lever are also gone or
> minimized.  Then check for speed bumps.  Watch that you don't flatten the
> knuckle by brushing only on the contact surface.  If this improves the touch
> you may not need to change the knuckles afterall.

How about this: If the corner of the top edge of the jack that's *away*
from the keyboard has a pronounced edge, buff it down *a little* so it's
not so sharp.  This way, even if there's still a little bump in the
knuckle after you brush it, at least the jack won't enunciate the bump's
presence.  On the rare occasions that I've done this (at a University we'll
try practically *anything*) I've used a 1/2" delrin (sp?) rod or a solid
piece of brass--about an inch across although that made it a little hard
to get at the front edge without some strange contortions!  I hesitate to
admit it, but I even used a Dremel tool with one of those tiny drum
sanders to take off that edge.  Fortunately, the speedbumps were so severe
that my dunderhead idea didn't backfire *too* badly.  Well, heck!  They
were teflon wippens anyhow!  They were d-o-o-m-e-d!!

Ron Torrella
Registered Piano Technician          Now Open: The Piano Page at Prairienet!
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