Pseudo-Ivory Keytops

[bases-loaded@juno.com]

Hi Laura -

A dozen years of success is hard to argue with!  I don't own any white
shoes, hence have not used any white liquid shoe polish, but my only
concern would be the presence of wax in the polish.  Things tend to not
adhere well to waxy surfaces.  Perhaps this product is primarily a white
dye, with very little or no wax?  Or perhaps the adhesive you use is
tenacious and will adhere well enough to wax.  

Whatever you're doing has served you well...

Mark Potter 
bases-loaded@juno.com

On Mon, 13 Aug 2001 22:57:51 -0500 "Laura Olsen"
<laura257@chicagonet.net> writes:
> 
> Hi, Terry!
> I've used white shoe polish, the liquid type.  I've heard of folks 
> using
> White-Out in a pinch, but I've found that kind of globs up.  White 
> shoe
> polish with the sponge applicator has served me well and I'm not 
> aware of
> any keytops that have come unglued in a dozen years or so. Does 
> anyone know
> any problems this might cause?
> Laura Olsen,RPT
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On 
> Behalf
> Of bases-loaded@juno.com
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 9:28 PM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Pseudo-Ivory Keytops
> 
> 
> Hi Terry -
> 
> I had a set of the Vagias "Ivory " keytops put on a 
> turn-of-the-century
> Mason & Hamlin upright a few months ago.  I think they really look 
> great,
> especially compared to what the lily white keytops look like on an
> instrument from this time period.   Just my opinion.  I hired the 
> work
> done by Mark Ritchie, RPT, here in Columbus.  His wife actually does 
> the
> key recovery and does very good work.  I don't know what she did to
> whiten the background, but if you would like to talk to her, let me 
> know.
> 
> 
> I can't think of any reason why a light coat of white lacquer 
> applied to
> the tops of the keys before recovering wouldn't work.
> 
> Or tinting the glue white.
> 
> Mark Potter
> bases-loaded@juno.com
> 
> 
> On Mon, 13 Aug 2001 10:06:29 -0400 "Farrell" 
> <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> writes:
> > Does anyone know of any source or service that has plastic 
> keytops
> > that have
> > some degree of ivory appearance? I'm refurbishing an action for a
> > woman who
> > just loves her ivory keyboard. The ivory keytops are just about 
> the
> > most
> > trashed set I have ever seen. If I can find a source for an
> > inexpensive
> > substitute, maybe I can talk her into keytop replacement. I am 
> aware
> > of
> > white keytops, off-white, and the Vagias Satin Ivory keytops
> > available from
> > Schaff. One potential trouble with the Vagias ivory is that they
> > are
> > translucent. Does that mean you would have to do the thing with
> > linen under
> > the keytop like for real ivory (I would think so because you can 
> see
> > dark
> > material underneath the keytops)? Thanks for any help.
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> >
> 
>