[pianotech] Grand Lid Hinge Screws

[John Delacour]

At 15:20 -0500 19/1/10, Paul Milesi wrote:

>Just went to polish 1961 Baldwin R lid hinge screws to be re-used 
>with new hinges (parts were missing). ÊInstead of looking like 
>brass, they look like steel after polishing. ÊWould they be brass 
>plated, rather than solid brass? ÊIf so, is that because of strength 
>required, and brass is too weak a metal, or is it a cost-savings 
>issue? ÊAre all piano hinge screws like this? ÊCan solid brass 
>screws be used to put grand lid hinges on?


The reason brass screws are rarely used, even by the best makers (at 
least in Europe), is that they can go brittle and break, or break 
through overstraining.  I never use brass screws for anything on a 
piano.

You can make a steel screw look very nice by polishing the head and 
holding it over a sprit lamp or gas flame until it turns a dark blue.

JD