Ron, Good thoughts there. I haven't used any lubricant on bearing points in many years and that was only once on an old grand. Didn't seem to do much good at the time, but it hasn't broken any strings since. Maybe we can put our heads together on the list and find a way to scientifically determine some answers rather than guessing. As I mentioned, Protek seems like good stuff and I've used a fair amount of it. However, I still don't know what all's in there or what effect it will have in particular situations. I've known of several very well respected techs who assert that NO wet lubricants whatsoever should be used on actions while others swear by them. Some who lubricate swear by Protek while others will only use silicone and then there are those who spray the action w/ WD-40! I just get curious when we talk about how safe one product is w/o knowing what's in it and decry another when no one can seem to actually cite a cse proving our fears. Personally, I would love to see some experimentation, by someone who's a better chemist than I am (and that wouldn't take much!) to determine just how much any of this stuff spreads and what efect it has. As Albert Einstein said, (and this applies to our PTG organizational problems as well) "The significant problems we face cannot be solved on the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Let's look for answers together, Allan Allan L. Gilreath, RPT Gilreath Piano & Organ Co. Calhoun, GA USA Gilreath@aol.com In a message dated 98-07-03 13:25:25 EDT, you write: << Allan, The problem isn't so much the overall torque of the pin in the block (static friction), it's the sliding friction that will be affected most. It's also dependent on the density of the block, and the type of tuning pin. Contaminated with silicone, a denser block will more likely make for snappy turning pins than a less dense block. A rolled thread pin will be more snappy than a cut thread pin. It's possible to have a block/pin combination that won't show any dramatically adverse effects from silicone contamination, but it can't be categorically anticipated as to just how any particular piano will react. The point is, rather than playing Russian Roulette with silicone around a pin block and assuming no damage, get some Protec and use it for both action centers and string bearing points (if you must). The only place I've found string lubrication useful/necessary is in the yards of understring cloth you have to drag a string over tuning some pianos. I haven't generally found it necessary, or particularly helpful if I tried it, to lubricate brass, iron, or steel string bearing points. Break 'em back before you pull 'em up and they will come. Ron >>
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