key top repair advice needed

[David ilvedson]

Richard Wagner's kit is very good but a few things to 
consider...
#1...Be sure you clean the area to be repaired well.  I still 
get a few chips that come loose.  I may not be cleaning it well 
enough.  Maybe there is a way to etch under the lip and front 
for better adhesion?  Someone mentioned to me they actually 
drill a little hole under the lip into the key in which part of 
the material goes for better staying power.  I haven't tried 
that yet.  
#2...Richard says his kit will last about 6 months?  But then 
the chemicals evaporate or whatever.  Be sure to charge a fair 
price to cover your kit replacement.  Unless you are doing lots 
of chips you very well may be throwing 1/2 of it away!  I 
believe its still $35.00.  
#3...It takes a little practice but the best thing is how the 
material buffs up and if the color is close it is hard to see.

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA


> Date:          Tue, 15 Sep 1998 07:45:58 -0400
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> From:          Jon Page <jpage@capecod.net>
> Subject:       Re: key top repair advice needed
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> Clair,
> Richard Wagnew has a product to repair chipped ivory.
> 
> Rjwag@pacifier.com
> 
> As far as the line goes, it adds character.
> 
> Jon Page
> 
> 
> At 06:03 AM 9/15/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Hi--
> >I have noticed people mentioning in passing "chip repair". How is this done?
> >There is an ad in the latest Journal for a chip repair kit--is that on the
> >level? Here's what I've got. (Again the I&P) 83 beautiful, perfect keys,
> >shiny, smooth, black sharps and smooth, unstained white keys. 5 white
> >keytops have small chips out of their top font edge. Is there a way to fix
> >these? These keys are 110 years old and when clean, except for the thin
> >black line of embedded dirt at the join line, they are gorgeous. I want
> >desperately to fix the five keys. (BTW, anyone have any advice about
> >disappearing the black line between the keytop front and back?)
> >
> >Clair
> >Associate Member
> >cadunn@vt2000.com
> >http://www.vt2000.com/vts/
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net