Restoring gloss to plastic keytops

[gordon stelter]

You need to tape some silicone carbide sandpaper to a
piece of plate glass ( an old flat car window-like a
van door rear window- works well ) and then sand the
key by shoving it back and forth lengthwise. Use a
little soapy water or mineral spirits as a lubricant.
And use increasingly finer grits (it goes to 2000
grit) until you have the surface you like. Beyond that
you can put some felt on a rubber sanding block, dip
in automotive polishing compound and polish with
straight strokes lengthwise. You may have to do all
the naturals to make them match, but it will go very
quickly. Personally, I like the feel of "just under"
high gloss when I playa  pioano. Tastes differ.
     This is also a great way to flatten poorly
installed cellulose keytops with melting warps in them
from the glue.
     Thump

--- Cy Shuster <cy.shuster@theshusters.org> wrote:
> I'm trying to clean and polish the plastic keytops
> on my 1923 5'8" Krakauer.  They were replaced some
> time more than five years ago, and have the note
> name embossed at the tail.
> 
> Following a search of the archives, I've
> successfully used 0000 steel wool to remove stubborn
> glued-on spots of what seems to be stain or varnish.
>  However, this has completely deglossed the finish. 
> Doesn't look bad, but very different to the rest. 
> First attempts at buffing using the Dremel and a
> small cotton wheel (3/8") caused only melting of the
> top (fortunately, just at the hidden tail, where I
> started).  I was surprised, because in the archives
> someone successfully used a 20,000 RPM device.
> 
> The Dremel polishing kit came with some red rouge,
> said to give a "high gloss on metals and plastics",
> but it doesn't.  I've tried buffing with a clean
> cotton wheel on a variable speed power drill, and at
> least it doesn't melt the plastic, but the gloss
> doesn't come back.
> 
> Suggestions?
> 
> Thanks...
> 
> --Cy Shuster--
> Rochester, MN
> 


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