Leather key bushings

[Roger Jolly]

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment

Hi Ted and Dale,
                              Ted gave me the Kangaroo hide several years 
ago. At least 5 ( tempus fugit)  These pianos have been in University use 
that long with no problems, and little or no wear. Perfect material for 
practice rooms.

Regards Roger

At 01:38 PM 4/8/2005, you wrote:
>    The following post is a  reply to my inquiry to/from MR. Sambel
>Hello Dale!
>
>Delighted to hear from you; I am very well and had a great time in 
>Sacramento. Afterwards, I spent a week as a guest of Susan Kline, and 
>together we visited Edwin Good, author of "Giraffes, Black Dragons and 
>other Pianos' in Eugene, Oregon, and saw the Cristofori reproduction he 
>and Anita have recently acquired. And since then I have attended the PNWC 
>in Renton, Wa. where I did four classes .Great fun!
>About leather key bushings; I feel exactly as you that cloth is really an 
>inadequate material on heavily used pianos. Long before it is worn out the 
>touch quality is  seriously compromised. When I was a young tuner running 
>round London (UK) there were all kinds of German pianos, especially 
>Bechsteins and Bluthners with leather key bushings which seemingly did not 
>wear and were remarkably trouble free. About ten years ago Bill Spurlock 
>advocated the use of kangaroo skin in the Journal and I went on a quest to 
>find some, without any luck. So I sent to Renner, Germany, not USA and got 
>some calfskin, supposedly intended for key bushing. It was much too thick 
>and very stiff, more like a leather belt. It was also an awkward width, 
>about 1" so was wasteful and tricky to bring to 3/8". Anyway I thinned it 
>down and rebushed a couple of sets, one being a practise studio Kawai 
>grand. One year later I inspected them and there was no sign of wear 
>whatever. Nonetheless, this was not a satisfactory solution, and then, 
>believe it or not the answer was under my nose. Kangaroo skin was in the 
>Schaff catalog! I had overlooked it because it is listed under player 
>piano supplies on page 143, and I had never bothered to look there.Whether 
>they still sell it I don't know, but it would be worthwhile to check. As 
>it was I sent for a whole skin which cost about $70 at the time. The 
>catalog says it is tan colored, but it turned out to be black, which 
>really doesn't matter. It was really beautiful and I did several sets with 
>it , using hide glue and putting the shiny skin side to the pin. I gave a 
>piece to Roger Jolly to try so as to get another opinion, and he liked it. 
>I had heard complaints that leather gets noisy, but this was not my 
>experience. The kangaroo skin came at the right thickness and is soft and 
>pliable. The easiest way to cut it into strips is with a paper cutter of 
>the type found in offices. I brushed a little teflon powder into the 
>bushings too.As I retired not too long after and left the Banff Centre, I 
>could not check on the long term wear, but I hope to visit there next year 
>and see. I had always wondered what leather the old German pianos used, 
>then in 1993 I was with the !APBT group who went to England and Europe. 
>The UK conference of the Piano Tuners Assn, was held in Colchester, sixty 
>miles north of London, and Ingbert Bluthner Haessler came fron Germany to 
>give a class on the old Bluthner action. He mentioned that the bushings 
>were calfskin.(I videotaped the class). So there you have it. Sometimes 
>one has to wait a lifetime to find an answer. Well, I hope ths is useful 
>information for you, and am very interested to know how it works out for 
>you. And I still remember your wonderful piano.
>
>Warmest regards, Ted
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com>Erwinspiano@aol.com
>To: <mailto:edward.sambell@sympatico.ca>edward.sambell@sympatico.ca
>Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 10:14 PM
>Subject: Leather key bushings
>
>  Hi Ted
>   Greetings from sunny Calif.
>   I was wondering if you could enlighten me about applying leather key 
> bushings & what material you use. I'd like to use a material that holds 
> up better than felt in hihg use situations. I have had some sets wear out 
> in a year which is as you know , unacceptable.
>    I really enjoyed our lunch together in Sacramento. Great fun.
>    Hope you are well & enjoying life,
>    Dale Erwin
>
>Erwins Pianos Restorations
>4721 Parker Rd.
>Modesto, Ca 95357
>209-577-8397
>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales
>www.Erwinspiano.com
>
>

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/d7/54/6a/10/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--