White powder

[PNOTNR@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-01-04 13:45:45 EST, you write:

> I just worked on a Samsung baby grand today where the owners allege
>that the previous tuner applied a white powder liberally to the works of
>the action and surrounding area.
>        The powder was on top of the hammer flange area, between the hammer
>butt and the butt jack (the leather was saturated with it).
>        Is there some kind of technology I am unaware of which would
>justify this white powder?  It appeared to me to interfere with the teflon
>coatings about the jack and the hammer butt leather.  I cleaned it all off
>thoroughly.
>
>Steve

One of the colleges up here owns a 9'  Falcone.  Everyone loves it,  but
early on it had a tendency when not used for a while, to develop a stiffness
between the top of the jack and the knuckle.  (the knuckles were developing
dents where they rested on the rep levers)  Some jacks also squeaked as they
moved across the leather of the knuckle.  I called Falcone (they were in
business at the time) and was told by them to treat the knuckles with naptha,
then brush the nap with a brass bristle brush, then apply powdered talc
(unscented, which one can find at a billiards supplier).  It sounds to me
like this might have been done on your Samsung, albeit sloppily.  The powder
is talc or teflon