Ivories

[John Delacour]

At 16:41 11.10.95, Laurence Beach wrote:

 |: Then I polished it with a polishing compound.  I have also heard of
 |: treating the keytops with a solution of water and a few drops of
 bleach,
 |: and putting them in the sunlight, taking care that the keys themselves
 |: don't warp.  I have yet to try out this technique, but it may be better

 |: than sanding.

  Not bleach!!  You need 40 vol. hydrogen peroxide and a sunny day or two.
  First clean the keytops to remove any superficial greasiness etc. and key
  the surface lightly with P.1200 wet&dry.  Stand the keys in the sun and
  daub on the peroxide with a mop of wadding tied to the end of a
  hammershank.  You should not let the peroxide touch the joint between
  head and tail.

  This process is slow but sure.  Many applications are necessary, so it's
  good to be doing something else at the same time and keep going back to
  rewet the keys.  Little and often is the rule.

  The main cause of key yellowing and browning is the action of smoke
  particles in the dust that has not been removed from the keys by dusting
  or playing.  That is why the brownest keys are usually the least played
  keys at the extremities and that is why the worst cases are found in
  pianos that lived in cities with factory chimneys.  Manchester pianos
  were the worst sufferers in England and I guess there are equivalents in
  America.

  The peroxide treatment will (eventually) whiten even the worst cases.

  Resurfacing should be done starting with P.400 fre-cut (MMM), then on to
  P600, 800, 1200 wet&dry, not skipping grades.  Final polishing can be
  done on a leather-covered block with a paste of chalk and alcohol.

        John

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