<HTML><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"></head><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">David I would remove each lever and brush them with a brass suade brush, and see if that work. I would be hesitant to put any kind of "gunk removing liquid" on leather, as it may dry it out. Wim Sent from my HTC PURE™, a Windows® phone from AT&T <hr>From: David Boyce <David@piano.plus.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 8:28 AM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] Damper tail leathers - cleaning and lubricating? Er, any chance of nosing in here with a piano-related question, folks? I am doing some work on the old Bechstein upright of some friends. There was a lot of combined "creak" on operating the sustaining pedal.  I took out the damper lift rod from the action and it was very gunge-y. I cleaned it with metal polish and applied the thinnest polish, or smear, of Protek grease. However, there is still some combined "creak" from the damper tails. The are covered in leather (buckskin), not cloth.  What are your preferred methods for cleaning and lubricating damper tail leathers like this? Best regards, David. </body></HTML>