cleaning crusty stickers

[pianolover 88]

I just removed all 88 "fused" square rubber grommets (the kind with the 
square fiber nut inside it) from client's 40 year old spinet. Grommets were 
so badly deteriorated but had become hardened and frozen to the forks at the 
end of the keys. Once the action was removed to my shop, I had to use my 
flush cutters to snip and cut the grommets off the forks, which are all 
rusted. I will be replacing both the grommets and the forks, but I will be 
using the  old sticker wires....Question: What is the best way to remove all 
the crusty gunk from the threads? I tried a brass brush, but then I thought 
maybe someone can suggest a better, faster way to go through all 88 more 
quickly and efficiently. And also what might be the most effecdtive solvent 
to "break up" that stuff? (They CAN be cleaned, and that most certainly is 
going to be waaaay fater than replacing all of them, which is not 
necessary.) thanks all!

Terry Peterson