Finished key beds tend to be noisier than unfinished ones in my experience (having seen a few sloppy finishing jobs where the key bed got finished as well). If the change in humidity is enough to effect a finished soundboard, why would a finished key be immune? As far as sanitizing the keys by finishing them, I think that unfinished wood is more antibacterial than finished wood. The acidity in the wood tends to inhibit the bacterial growth. Witness your wooden kitchen cutting board versus a plastic one. You already know my opinion about the cosmetics, so I don't see the benefit either way. David Love ----- Original Message ----- From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: August 13, 2002 4:44 PM Subject: Re: Cleaning keys again Obviously, the original intent of this discussion was about removing finger-induced slime from keysides. But why not bring in the issue of whole-key cleaning , as that surely is relevant when one removes the keys for cleaning the sides? And mice are a prevalent contaminator. I play professionally, and I would not expect my performance to be imapaired by the presence of a non-absorbent coating on key sides. If others prefer to relish sentimental notions about cosmetic "originality", that's their prerogative. But from a strictly impartial, scientific stance, would not a finished key be less prone to dimensional fluctuation due to humidity changes? Less likely to warp? Less likely to shed its keytop? Respectfully, Thump --- David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> wrote: > I'm not sure what mouse infestations have to do with > your original post. It > was to keep fingerprints off the sides of the keys > wasn't it. To catch > those little perpetrators who left their prints > behind. Thump??? I don't > see the sides of the keys as being repositories for > mouse crap anyway. I > used to see pianos periodically from a local > rebuilder where the soundboard > was covered with wood grained contact paper to cover > up the cracks. It also > allowed for easier cleaning. I have no scientific > basis for my objection. > Call me old fashioned, I would consider it a visual > abomination. It is, of > course, just my opinion. Have at it if you want. > > In response to David I., yes I do blacken below the > sharp for continuity, > but we are talking about painting the entire key > stick white or black. > Maybe the two of you should get together and offer > it as a service. Who > knows, it might catch on. > > As far as moisture on the ivories compromising the > glue joint, the fact that > you haven't observed problems doesn't exactly > constitute proof that the > joint isn't compromised by repeated exposure to > moisture. According to the > guys who used to do all the ivory work, rubbing the > key clean is the safest > method. Repeated exposure to moisture will cause > the ivory to to expand and > contract and over time loosen the bond. In > addition, the seam between the > head and the tail is not sealed. There is no glue > there purposefully to > keep the it more invisible. Moisture can creep into > the joint and cause > tenting. That doesn't mean one exposure will create > a problem. But > repeated exposures over time can. Do what you want, > but those interested in > the potential long term effects should at least be > able to make an informed > decision. > > David Love > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: August 13, 2002 1:36 PM > Subject: Re: Cleaning keys again > > > Why not lacquer keys? If it holds in the stink > ( although I burn pianos that are heavily mouse > infested as they are signifigant health threats )and > makes the keys easy to clean, why not lacquer them? > Please give me a scientific response---- not just > deriding the idea as "too radical"-- as though > pianos > are somehow worshippable objects which need to be > left > exactly as manufactured!!! Besides, lacquering the > keys cuts down on moisture infusion which, I would > think, will keep them in better regulation, and > prevent sticking key bushings!!! It also seals in > the > lead weights, thus preventing small children from > breathing oxidized lead dust ( VERY DANGEROUS!!!) > and > slows future oxidation. > Pianos are tools to create music, not Gods! My > customers' health supercedes any piano's imaginary > Inalienable Rights. Mouse crap can make you cough up > blood ( I've been there ) and hope to die! In my 30 > years in this business, nothing strikes me as more > inethical,unscrupulous and widespread, than the > practice of refinishing and otherwise cosmetically > spritzing up a filthy piano which can pose a serious > health threat to the unwitting customer once it is > in > their home!!!! > "Do unto others.........." > I have developed a whole system for sanitizing > pianos and REALLY returning them to "like new" , > which > I will share when I have time. > Oh, and yes, my pianos do sound GREAT when done, > and play well, which is also important. > Sincerely, > Gordon Stelter > P.S. I have also heard that virii in mouse crap > can cause birth defects. Do we want that on our > record? > <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> wrote: > > Lacquering the sides of the keys with clear > lacquer > > seems a pretty radical > > solution that I would not try or recommend. > Putting > > white or black lacquer > > on the sides key sticks would push me over the > edge > > if it were my piano. > > > > David Love > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > > Sent: August 13, 2002 11:20 AM > > Subject: Re: Cleaning keys again > > > > > > I use a green "Scotch-Brite" pad and denatured > > alcohol, wearing gloves and a carbon filter mask. > > Then, if the keys still stink, I put a cheap set > of > > bushing cauls in the bushing slots, mask off the > > ivories ( 3/4" easy to remove blue tape works > great) > > and lacquer them, with either clear or white and > > black > > lacquer. If the piano will be in an institutional > > setting where poorly raised people will not wash > > their > > hands before playing ( should be illegal!) I will > > actually spray the keystick with white epoxy > gloss, > > which leaves a nice, smooth finish on the sides, > to > > easily wipe clean later ( and fully reveal their > > sins!) > > Thump > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs > http://www.hotjobs.com > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs http://www.hotjobs.com
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