Ivory or Walrus?

[Dave Nereson]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Robin Stevens=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 2:30 PM
  Subject: Ivory or Walrus?


        Going back to requests on how to stick on ivories, no-one spoke =
about the different type of "Ivory" key tops used.

         Maybe someone can put me straight whether  there is such a =
thing as Walrus key tops.

        As long as I have been involved in this trade (45 years) I was =
always told that the much thinner and VERY transparent tops put on =
American pianos were made out of Walrus tusks.

        Fact or fiction?=20

        PS In the field I use a typist's wipe out pen for the whitening, =
and if the surface is cleaned and prepared properly, CA works for me.

        Regards

         Robin Stevens
        Convener "INTUNE SA 2004"
        22-25 July 2004 Mercure Grosvenor Adelaide SA
        08 8633 0533 mmrr6596@bigpond.net.au=20
              =20

        Fiction, as far as I know, although probably some walrus ivory =
has been used on some pianos.   The Journal had a series of articles =
some years back about Ivoryton, Connecticut, where almost all the sets =
of ivories for American pianos were cut and processed in the early part =
of the 20th century, and no mention was made of walrus.  There were =
several different grades, shades, and thicknesses of ivory and the =
translucence (transparent means clear like glass) has more to do with =
the thickness and what's under it than what animal it came from.  The =
overwhelming majority of it, whether on American or European pianos, was =
from elephants.  I disagree that American pianos have "transparent" =
(translucent) ivories.  When they're removed from the key, cleaned, and =
held up to the light, most of them are opaque or nearly so.
            --David Nereson, RPT  =20

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