Steinway K keybloacks / paint in grain

[Peter Simcich]

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Hi,

I'm a novice technician. I have recently acquired a Steinway Model K of =
1905 vintage. I am currently stripping it of the thick and lovely coat =
of green paint that some well-meaning soul slapped on it, presumably in =
the 50's. I have several questions:

1. How are the keyblocks removed? There are no screws anywhere to be =
seen - neither below or on the side. The only possibilities I can see =
are that a) they are glued on or b) they are attached by dowels and can =
be removed only with the front rail removed. But these both seem =
extremely unlikely.

2. I also can't figure out how to remove the legs. Sure, one removes the =
screws at the top but then? There's no room to slide them out. I believe =
they are doweled into the toe block - perhaps one has to remove the toe =
block.

This all seems contrary to the ease of dis-assembly I've found in my =
(probably obviously very limited) experience with other pianos.

Also

3.  I wonder if anyone knows a magic trick to remove paint left over =
from the initial stripping that is embedded in the (mahogany) grain? =
I've re-applied stripper and then steel-wooled and used a nylon brush, =
wiped with solvent. Did the same with Formby's Furniture Restorer. Both =
helped but both left some still embedded  and both required serious =
effort. Perhaps that's as good as it gets and I just need to settle in =
for the long haul, but - any suggestions?

4. I also have a 1883 Chickering upright. The case has some beautiful =
tracery on the front panels. I initially thought it was cut into the =
wood - however it appears to be in the finish itself. The case needs to =
be refinished and so the tracery would be lost (if I am correct about it =
being in the finish). Was this a common practice? Are there people who =
re-create this work?

Wow! Pretty wordy for a first post!

Thanks,

Peter Simcich




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