Lubricating V-bar

[David Ilvedson]

WD stands for water displacement...it is a degreaser for rust prevention.   It's not a lubricant... 

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: david at piano.plus.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 2/18/2008 1:53:25 AM
Subject: Re: Lubricating V-bar



>"Much to his chagrin he noticed that the tuner was spraying WD-40 over the
>V-bars and bass string stagger pin........From past messages on this
>listserver I found that others have had the same experience.  I don’t even
>keep WD-40 in my car anymore".

>Isn't it  awful how little technical "savvy" some supposedly technical
>people seem to have.  I mean had this tuner simply NO idea of the
>properties of materials?  I wonder what his work would be like if he had
>to replace a string - or maybe such things would be beyond him!

>The idea of SPRAYING WD40 anywhere near strings fills me with horror.  For
>what I did two days ago, I sprayed a tiny amount (via the thin tube) into
>the cap of the WD40 can, and used my watch oiler to apply one tiny spot to
>each string at its bearing.  If you've never used a watch oiler (watch
>repair used to be a hobby of mine) you maybe don't realise what a minute
>amout of liquid it holds.  There are simply not enough total molecules
>present to really creep anywhere, and capillary action is likely to keep
>what minuscule amount there is, between string and V-bar.

>I do think that not having WD40 in the car at all is a bit extreme! 
>Sometimes one might come across a tatty old upright with a creaky/squeaky
>rusty pedal, and a pedal mechanism of very difficult access.  The proper
>procedure would be dismantling, cleaning, apropriately lubricating and
>re-assembling. But the cost of doing that might exceed the value of the
>piano.  In that circumstance a very tiny spray of WD40 through the thin
>flexible tube, strategically aimed, can offer an effective and economical
>solution.

>The fact that an idiot egregiously misused the stuff  doesn't mean that it
>can't have a valid sensible use.  That would be like saying because
>someone once ruined his car engine by pouring oil all over it, you won't
>have oil anywhere near the engine......

>Your experience does though open up the question of just how bad some
>tuner/technicians might be...... but that's another topic!

>Scott, you say, regarding lowering  string tension to cleanand/or
>lubricate the V-bar,
>"Paul, don't do it mate.
>Unwinding strings that much will just about guarantee at least one WILL
>break at the tuning pin. Not to mention the amount of time that it will
>take - you may as well restring it by the time you do all that! If you're
>worried, just a drop of CLP or Pro-Lube and get on with it. If they're
>gonna go, they're gonna go.........."

>Yes, that was my feeling.  The use of the tiny spot of WD40 for each
>string was my "minimal interventionist" approach - I figured that even if
>it didn't do anything to help stop strings breaking, it wouldn't do any
>harm - and it MIGHT help to stop breakages in further playing/tuning (the
>two strings broke in playing).

>Best regards,

>David