Cleaning keys

[Carl Meyer]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stéphane Collin" <collin.s@skynet.be>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2002 1:21 PM
Subject: Cleaning keys


Hi list.

May I ask your favourite way of cleaning old dirty keys ?

For ivory, try removing the sharps, cheek blocks and key slip.  Block up the keys with a 1/2 inch spacer ( I use a half inch angle iron strip 48 inches long.  This levels the keys with reference the bottom of the key fronts.  Now is a good time to bend the balance rail pins to level the tops.  Later you can bent the front rail pins to space the keys.

Sand the tops of the keys with 100 grit sandpaper to get the top brown crust off.  If necessary bleach with 30-40% H2O2, in the sun if posssible, then continue to sand with finer and finer paper followed with a buffing wheel to the desired gloss. 

Carl Meyer  Assoc. PTG
Santa Clara, California
cmpiano@attbi.com 


Best regards,

Stéphane Collin