Leather key bushings

[David Ilvedson]

This is a multipart message in MIME format

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Since the kangaroo skin only comes in one thickness how do you=
 get the control different thicknesses gives you?   I believe=
 Bill Spurlock used and sanding disk?

David I.







Original message
From: Roger Jolly 
To: Pianotech 
Received: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 15:25:30 -0600
Subject: Re: Leather key bushings



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: Erwinspiano@aol.com 

To: 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/50/89/ae/1b/attachment.htm

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