Steinway parts- removing celluloid

[D.L. Bullock]

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Removing early plastic, be it celluloid, pyrilin or Ivorine, is a bit of a
crapshoot. Most of it will peel off with a flat knife blade under it.  My
favorites come off in one piece.  Some will come off with a warm iron.
Steam does not seem to help when I have tried that.  Heat the iron hot
enough to warm the celluloid and not melt it and it will peel off better.

Keyfronts (mostly celluloid), though, are another thing.  Sometimes they
will not come off for anything.  I have had some I had to take off with a
blowtorch by actually lighting the celluloid on fire.  It burns really fast
with LOTS of smoke.   Do it outside.  Some burn so fast it does not even
char the key wood.  Some burn too slow and will char the wood.  These I use
the disk sander and remove the key front that way.  Only burn them off if it
does no damage.  Sometimes sanding them off will catch them afire.  It most
often not flames but a fast smolder...looks more like a cigarette ash
burning.  This is not dangerous since it is not explosive, but it REALLY
stinks.  The smoke can't be a good thing to breathe.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: Matthew Todd [mailto:pianotech88@yahoo.com]
  Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 2:48 PM
  To: Pianotech
  Subject: Re: Steinway parts


  So...do you all still remove the flammable celluloid with the old iron and
wet rag?  As well as plastic and pyralin?

  Matthew

  Joe Garrett <joegarrett@earthlink.net> wrote:
    David Nereson said: "Some attempts were made in the past to simulate an
ivory grain in
    plastic.  The most common was probably "Ivorine," which has striations
    (faint bluish lines, spaced about a millimeter apart) running the long
way
    through the keytops -- it's kinda hokey and looks not at all like
ivory..."

    David, et al,
    That is/was not "Ivorine"! That be Celluloid! The flammable, stinky
stuff, used in the first part of the 20th Century. Ivorine is the good
plastic that many of use replace keytops with. The name "Ivorine" was the
trade name used by Tuners Supply and is essentially "Pyralin", which is an
Industry name for a specific type of plastic. It is sold by Schaff. Many
pianos, even pre-1900 had Celluloid fronts with Ivory tops. The better
quality stuff lasts forever, and is the precursor of the Pyralin. K?
    Best Regards,
    Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
    Captain, Tool Police
    Squares R I
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