<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm a novice technician. I have = recently acquired a Steinway Model K of 1905 vintage. I am currently stripping it of the = thick and lovely coat of green paint that some well-meaning soul slapped on it, = presumably in the 50's. I have several questions:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1. How are the keyblocks removed? There = are no screws anywhere to be seen - neither below or on the side. The only possibilities I can see are that a) they are glued on or b) they are = attached by dowels and can be removed only with the front rail removed. But these = both seem extremely unlikely.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2. I also can't figure out how to = remove the legs. Sure, one removes the screws at the top but then? There's no room to = slide them out. I believe they are doweled into the toe block - perhaps one has to = remove the toe block.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This all seems contrary to the ease of = dis-assembly I've found in my (probably obviously very limited) experience with other = pianos.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Also</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3.  I wonder if anyone knows = a magic trick to remove paint left over from the initial = stripping that is embedded in the (mahogany) grain? I've re-applied = stripper and then steel-wooled and used a nylon brush, wiped with solvent. Did the = same with Formby's Furniture Restorer. Both helped but both left some still = embedded  and both required serious effort. Perhaps that's as good as it gets and = I just need to settle in for the long haul, but - any suggestions?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>4. I also have a 1883 Chickering = upright. The case has some beautiful tracery on the front panels. I initially thought it = was cut into the wood - however it appears to be in the finish itself. The case = needs to be refinished and so the tracery would be lost (if I am correct about it = being in the finish). Was this a common practice? Are there people who = re-create this work?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wow! Pretty wordy for a first = post!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peter Simcich</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>