key bushings <"RE: key bushings"@amenti.rutgers.edu> (Aug 28, 5:25pm)

[Newton Hunt]

I have observed that unplated brass key pins have an early corrosive coating
that will wear felt FAST.  If a key can be forced against a pin and moved up
and down with ANY resistance bewteen key felt and pin the pin will wear the
felt.  It has been noted by some that very early 20th century bushings lasted
longer than newer bushings.  I am unable to fathume if this is the quality of
felt or the effect of making felt from wool.  The pins seem to oxidated as any
others, but the felt just glided up and down the pin with little resistance.

The only soultion I have come up with are clean, polished and lubricated pins,
first quality felt, careful rebushing and fitting and lubricating.  Protek is a
new material that I am trying but I have no real results to date.

I HATE loose keys and have been trying things for nearly 30 years, even to
polishing and lubricating new pianos going into high wear situations with
really superior results from doing so.

Have a nice weekend, Don.

	Newton
	etc.