Alright all you cybertechs... after spending the better part of a day refinishing a set of ebony sharps, there has *got* to be a better way. For years I have been sanding the keys to restore the shape of the sharps, removing the old finish in the process. Then I used to use a black NGR stain once the keys had been smoothed out. The problem with the stains that I was using was that they left a purplish hue that had to be steel wooled out, much like a magic marker leaves behind. Then I would use a paste wax to seal in the stain. This process works about 60% of the time as a permanent refinish. The biggest problem is the stain sometimes comes off the keys onto the naturals (and fingers) after a few months of playing. This process is also extremely labour-intensive. I have recently switched to using spray lacquers for a more even finish, but the result resembles plastic and hides the ebony grain. Also, lacquer has a tendency to fish-eye if the wood is not *extremely* free from grease/oil. What do you folks do to keep your naturals looking sharp?? Rob Kiddell C.A.P.T. P.T.G. Associate Edmonton, AB, Canada
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