[pianotech] Pully keys

[David Ilvedson]

Would CBS had owned Steinway at that time?   We saw many unimpressive Steinways in the 70's out of New York.   

>I had to remove all the cradles to scrape out from each about an 
>ounce of hardened tallow and graphite and the same delightful stuff 
>seems to have been used to lubricate the balance holes, to what 
>purpose heaven knows.  This would prevent the adhesion or absorption 
>of the various products I'd considered as a solution to the pully 
>keys.

Cradles are key buttons?   You had to steam them off to clean inside the key?   I doubt the lubricants came from Steinway.   I usually use a bit of thinned water/glue...which won't work in your case...

Do you consider modern day Kluge key sets too soft?   I don't run into a lot of pulley keys unless a previous tech has eased them too much.   


David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "John Delacour" <JD at Pianomaker.co.uk>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 4/19/2010 9:54:01 AM
Subject: [pianotech] Pully keys



>I'm working on a 1970 Hamburg model D Steinway -- a pretty 
>unimpressive piece of workmanship generally speaking and among its 
>defects is a rather soft Kluge keyboard, nearly with nearly all the 
>balance holes ovalized.

>One a few of the keys I have made a 3mm deep saw kerf at the font of 
>the hole and inlaid a strip of rosewood.  This works fine but I'd 
>rather find a quicker way since already I have discovered too many 
>unforeseen jobs to do and I don't want my hourly rate to fall too low!

>I had to remove all the cradles to scrape out from each about an 
>ounce of hardened tallow and graphite and the same delightful stuff 
>seems to have been used to lubricate the balance holes, to what 
>purpose heaven knows.  This would prevent the adhesion or absorption 
>of the various products I'd considered as a solution to the pully 
>keys.

>Any good ideas?

>JD