cleaning up sharps

[Mark Dierauf]

Try Pianotek's Transtint Black Ebony Dye (pg B-11 of their catalog)
after cleaning with 4/0 steel wool dipped in alcohol. Oh, and wear
gloves! As for the ivories, unless there are only a few loose or damaged
ones, replacing with good quality plastic is likely to be cheaper and
much longer lasting than trying to keep the ivory in good shape. If you
must reglue the ivory then bring them home and clamp overnight using the
brass cauls and some glue other than CA. I use hot hide whitened with
titanium dioxide.

- Mark Dierauf

-----Original Message-----
From: Debra Feiger [mailto:debrafeiger at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 10:31 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: cleaning up sharps

I am rebushing an old Strauch Brothers upright and the ebonies need to
be brought back to life in terms of color.  Suggestions?   Also, the
ivories keep falling off, one after the other and I am CA gluing them
back on.