<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV><DIV>On Aug 3, 2006, at 12:52 PM, Jeff Tanner wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Well, I don't use it and never have.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>I've always just been leery of it, because every lubricant I've ever used that goes on wet, eventually gets tacky with age, and I believe I've heard other technicians testify that they've had similar results using wet lubricants like McLube and Protek on pins.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>Hi Jeff,<BR><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Mclube definitely won't get tacky with age or leave a gummy residue. The wet portion is purely a vehicle, and it flashes off rapidly, leaving a thin coating. You can see that happen when you apply it. I put some in a 1 oz hypo oiler from Schaff (with the red, rubber cap for the needle), thinking I'd like to carry some around with me rather than constantly be going back to the shop for it. I had had good luck with acetone/keytop staying in those hypos without undue evaporation, but the McLube was evaporated away in a very short time (maybe I didn't have the lid quite tight enough). Anyway, what was left in the bottom was a mm or so of hard, white substance, very similar to what I scavenged as a sample from the Steinway vats where they dip flanges. Inert, slippery, no way it would ever be gummy. Hard, semi-brittle plastic is how I would describe it.</DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>I am sold on McLube for keypins, capstans, glides, keyframe and keybed friction points, keyframe return spring, damper wires, under side of damper underlevers, etc, etc. Great stuff, and well worth the wee bit of time it takes to apply with a rag or a brush. Lasts well, doesn't attract any dirt. Not good stuff to be inhaling all the time, but otherwise, I love it. I won't vouch the same for Protek CPL or for ProLube, though I do use both all the time with generally good results.<BR><DIV><DIV>Regards,</DIV><DIV>Fred Sturm</DIV><DIV>University of New Mexico</DIV><DIV><A href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></DIV><BR></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BODY></HTML>