Replacing Key Leads

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

Wim wrote:

<<"The leads have become corroded because of 
moisture in the air. If you replace the old leads with new leads, the new 
ones will become corroded, just like the old once.">>

Bzz wrong answer Wim...do you want to call a friend? :-)

 "Moisture in the air" may contribute to speeding up lead corrosion but it 
does not 'cause' it. Lead corrosion is caused from some impurity in the lead 
itself. It is possible, in some cases of leads corroding, that some sort of 
'wood' treatment is causing the corrosion. Although I have no idea what kind 
of treatment may cause this corrosion I have seen many leads which were 
ringed with corrosion around the lead/wood interface and were in perfect 
shape otherwise...these observations tend to make me suspect some sort of 
wood treatment contamination in 'some' cases.......... 

<<" So just shave off the old 
ones, and let it go at that. It's a lot easier.">>

 "Shaving" the old ones will solve the immediate 'sticking/sluggishness' 
problems but will not solve the lead swelling problem, i.e the leads will 
continue to "swell".  The chances are very good that a shaved lead will 
enventually swell enough to split the key and this will present a different 
set of challenges. :-)

Suggestions for trimming leads in the past have included:
sanding
filing
shaving
 I personally would not sand the leads because of the lead oxide dust that 
would be created. Filing does work but my preference is to use a very sharp 
chisel and shave the thingees down.  The only real permanent answer to this 
problem is to replace the leads with new leads...that's just my opinion. 
Replacing doesn't take that much longer than any of the rest of the 
alternatives and is a much better solution.........in my opinion.
Jim Bryant (FL)