Protek & Teflon

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
    Hi, Ken. I don't think I've ever replied directly to one of your =
postings before.  Here are my thoughts on this issue. I don't really =
have too much experience with teflon bushings, but I do with Protek CLP. =
The way I know CLP to work, and have demonstrated it to my own =
satisfaction, is that it works primarily on metal, not necessarily on =
felt. It seems to plate or coat the metal with a polymer type lubricant. =
The carrier flashes off, leaving the polymer. Some people don't like to =
use it on brass, like key pins or aggraffes, because if you store it in =
a container with a brass spout, it will react with the copper in the =
brass, and start to turn blue. The implication is that it will cause =
verdigris on brass parts. I have not found that to be the case, because =
it's the carrier that is reacting with the copper, not the lubricant. =
(And remember, the carrier evaporates.)=20
    So your application of the Protek couldn't hurt, possibly not the =
best cure, but it sure as heck will make a difference. You were right to =
apply teflon to the knuckles too, that probably made a big difference =
too. I have seen many a newer piano where I first approached it and =
checked the aftertouch, and felt a "squeaking" in the jack letting off; =
applied Spurlock's Micro Fine Teflon, and then felt it, and it was gone! =

    Here's something you all should try, I love this when I'm trying to =
get the friction down;     Remove the up-stop rail that holds the keys. =
Lift the keys up, a few at a time, and apply Protek CLP to both sides of =
each front key pin. Do an octave or so at a time, using a Q-tip or =
eye-shadow, sponge tipped thingee, ( my favorite), before applying more =
to the implement, and then check your UW/DW. Report your findings back =
here. My customers just love the way their keys feel, and continue to =
feel to them. No need to soak the bushings, just coat the pins.  A dozen =
drops does the whole set of front key pins. Who'd a thunk it?

    The way I really began to think about the action of the CLP, was =
when I kept tuning a Yamaha C7 for concert work. I would regularly mute =
off the back duplex area with masking tape, just so that I didn't have =
to listen to any extraneous noise while tuning. After several concerts, =
I noticed that I was getting a little noticeable residue on the strings =
there, and I thought that it looked "tacky" to let it go like that. So,  =
I put a little CLP on a small piece of cloth, and used it to clean the =
rear duplex strings. I then took a dry cloth and wiped the remainder =
off, buffing the strings to a shine. Two or three months go by; I'm =
called on to prepare the piano for a big concert. I go about my usual =
procedure, getting the piano ready etc, but when I try to apply the =
masking tape, It won't stick. I got my Naphtha out and cleaned the =
strings, it STILL WON'T STICK!  At this point I'm thinking "What IS this =
stuff". Then I found out about this technique of coating metal parts =
with a treatment other than teflon, and I think it clicked for me.=20
   =20
    I know, more than you really wanted to know.


Kevin  Ramsey
ramsey@extremezone.com=20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ken Jankura=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 7:29 PM
  Subject: Protek & Teflon


    I service a S&S D at a local college, and recently the pianist =
complained of
  heavy touch. It's a '72 teflon, and the downweight was around 70, =
upweight
  around 30 or so. I used Protek on an experimental hammer center or two =
and
  measured a 5 to 10 gram reduction in downweight. Has anyone run into =
this
  before? I lubed all centers and used teflon on the knuckles and all =
was well
  (all things considered). The pianist called to say how happy she was =
and what a miraculous job I had done making the piano playable again. =
What gives?
  Ken Jankura
  Newburg, PA


---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/fe/4f/19/8c/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--