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On a German piano forum is an ongoing discussion about that topic (in German, of course):<BR> <BR><a href="http://www.clavio.de/forum/klavier-keyboard-kaufen-reparieren/16878-schellack-ausbessern.html">http://www.clavio.de/forum/klavier-keyboard-kaufen-reparieren/16878-schellack-ausbessern.html</a><BR> <BR>In the first posting you can see some pictures and some links to more pictures. The colleage made it like this:<BR> <BR>First he "sanded" with a sanding sponge: <a href="http://www.dreamline.at/gipsshop/images/product_images/info_images/49087.jpg">http://www.dreamline.at/gipsshop/images/product_images/info_images/49087.jpg</a><BR>You can see that sponge in action here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSSIKJNzKtM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSSIKJNzKtM</a><BR>Then he made the first pass with black shellac and oil, but with less alcohol, so that the polish is thick<BR>After 3-4 days he made a second pass, but now with more alcohol and lesser shellac, so that the melange is thinner.<BR>After further 3 days he made the third pass without oil, lesser shellac and more alcohol, but never too thin/liquid. This time he used not black, but transparent shellac.<BR>After 10 days he polished with a high gloss polish.<BR> <BR>Gregor<BR> <BR><br><br>------------------------<br>piano technician - tuner - dealer<br>Münster, Germany<br>www.weldert.de<br><br> <BR><div><hr id="stopSpelling">From: karlkaputt@hotmail.com<br>To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:49:28 +0100<br>Subject: Re: [pianotech] How to remove scratches<br><br>
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Doug, thank you for your detailed answer. I am familiar with French Polish. During my apprenticeship I completely polished some pianos, but that´s more than 20 years ago ;-) I was just wondering if that König stuff is something special or just shellac. Usually I would prepare the surface by sanding and use oil for polishing and some kind of pore filler (Bimsmehl is the German word, could not find a translation for that) and after polishing I would use some benzoic acid to remove the oil. But using a very special stuff in a one step polishing procedure sounds quite charming :-)<br> <br>Concerning removing scratches on poyester: no, French Polish does not work. The best method on polyester is just very fine sanding (if needed at all, depends on the depth of the scratches) and polishing with a machine.<br> <br>Gregor<br><br>------------------------<br>piano technician - tuner - dealer<br>Münster, Germany<br>www.weldert.de<br><br> <br><div>> Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:37:48 -0500<br>> From: classicpianodoc@gmail.com<br>> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] How to remove scratches<br>> <br>> Gregor,<br>> It is strange that the German Konig site does not advertise Special<br>> French Polish. I checked my bottle and it is imported. The phone<br>> number in Europe is +49 (0) 61 01 - 53 60 0.<br>> <br>> You should be able to get the Special French Polish in Europe. The<br>> method is much simpler than traditional French Polish as a lubricant<br>> is included in the shellac so that it is only one step. Make a pad<br>> with a ball of wool or gauze and wrap it very tightly with a 20 cm<br>> square of well washed old Tee shirt that is stretchy. I use a golf<br>> ball sized pad or smaller. There should be no creases or folds in the<br>> application surface. On a new pad, first open the cover cloth and wet<br>> the gauze well with Konig French polish but not so that it will drip<br>> when squeezed hard. Put the cover back on and put about 10 more drops<br>> on the stretched surface of the pad. The pad should be just damp<br>> enough so that when you tap it on the back of your hand, it is just<br>> damp. Keep it stretched by twisting the remaining cloth on the back<br>> of the pad and hold onto the twisted part. Practice on a scrap piece<br>> of a finished piece of wood like an upright piano top or key cover or<br>> other furniture piece. It should be at least 20 cm square. Start by<br>> coming down on the wood from a low angle without stopping- Like<br>> landing and airplane. The application should be in a circular motion<br>> that is fairly rapid. You can make overlapping circles and move around<br>> until the whole piece is finished. The pad will leave a slight trail<br>> on the finished area. This is drying shellac that should be drying<br>> almost instantly. You will have to replenish the pad with about 10<br>> drops of polish every few minutes. Watch for the trail of drying<br>> shellac. When it does not leave a trail, replenish. You can work a<br>> piece with several applications on the same area before it starts to<br>> get a bit sticky. This may take up to 30 minutes of polishing. You may<br>> be done before that happens. If it gets sticky, let it dry for about<br>> 30 minutes and resume polishing. When you have polished it<br>> sufficiently, take some long swipes with the grain to remove any swirl<br>> marks. These should be minimal. Let it dry and you are done. It can be<br>> waxed or not the next day. This is a very brief description. I have a<br>> video but have not put it on the web yet for lack of time and<br>> knowledge of the process to post it. It is on my to do list.<br>> <br>> I am sorry that there is not one on the web. I have looked and have<br>> not found a decent one. Konig does sell a rather good video on this<br>> and other techniques that is well worth buying. It also tells how to<br>> do scratch and dent repair with Konig hard wax and retouching with<br>> their markers and other techniques. I have been doing this kind of<br>> work for years and learned some good techniques from their video. Good<br>> luck. Be sure to practice on one or two pieces first. It does not take<br>> long to learn, even on your own.<br>> <br>> Doug Gregg<br>> Classic Piano Doc<br>> www.classicpianodoc.com<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> Message: 3<br>> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:15:26 +0100<br>> From: Gregor _ <karlkaputt@hotmail.com><br>> To: "pianotech@ptg.org" <pianotech@ptg.org><br>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] How to remove scratches<br>> Message-ID: <DUB104-W22898FC8B35B3E8EB74575D41A0@phx.gbl><br>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<br>> <br>> <br>> Doug, that?s interesting. I found the USA website of K?nig and found<br>> French Polish. But on the German Site there is no Schellack or French<br>> Polish. I attented a class at K?nig about scratch repair with the<br>> focus on Polyester, but all other surfaces were tought as well. I<br>> don?t remember that they offer French Polish in Germany.<br>> <br>> How do you use the French Polish? As a quick and dirty method just<br>> applying with a bale or do you prepare the surface? What would you do<br>> with the fallboard example form Michael?<br>> <br>> Gregor<br>> <br>> ------------------------<br>> piano technician - tuner - dealer<br>> M?nster, Germany<br>> www.weldert.de<br>> <br>> <br>> > Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:36:20 -0500<br>> > From: classicpianodoc@gmail.com<br>> > To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>> > Subject: [pianotech] How to remove scratches<br>> ><br>> > Michael,<br>> > I repair such scratches all the time with French polishing. I gave a<br>> > seminar on it in Seattle. It is quite easy to do. It works so well for<br>> > this kind of thing because it only adds a thin layer of shellac and<br>> > there is no risk as there is with sanding and polishing. The beauty of<br>> > French polishing is it fills the scratches selectively without<br>> > building up finish on the non-scratched area. That is, it fills the<br>> > valleys up to the top of the hills leaving a glass-smooth surface. It<br>> > is also very safe and I often do it in the clients music room over an<br>> > Oriental carpet with no concern of odor or spills or overspray. I use<br>> > Konig Special French polish from www.konignorthamerica.com. Or google<br>> > Konig french polish. They also have videos.<br>> ><br>> > The alternate quick and dirty solution is to spray the fall board with<br>> > several coats of clear lacquer. Then fine sand and polish the new<br>> > lacquer without the danger of damaging the black underneath. I find<br>> > that polishing lacquer to a high polish is not that easy. I would sand<br>> > it with 400 and then 600 paper with water, dry, and then give a final<br>> > coat of spray that lays down flat. Do that outside if possible. The<br>> > fumes are strong. French polish still comes out better and is three<br>> > times as fast. There is no waiting for lacquer to dry and no sanding.<br>> ><br>> > See my web site to see French polishing before, during, and after.<br>> > www.classicpianodoc.com<br>> ><br>> > Doug Gregg<br>> > Classic piano Doc<br>> > Southold, NY<br>> ><br>> > Message: 1<br>> > Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:00:01 -0800 (PST)<br>> > From: MICHAEL MEZHINSKY <pghpianotuning@yahoo.com><br>> > To: "pianotech@ptg.or" <pianotech@ptg.org><br>> > Subject: [pianotech] How to remove scratches<br>> > Message-ID:<br>> > <1359075601.24779.YahooMailNeo@web160205.mail.bf1.yahoo.com><br>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<br>> ><br>> > Hello,<br>> > Can anyone suggest how?to remove scratches on the black lacquer finish<br>> > fall board on a 1932 piano or make it look better?<br>> > The picture is attached.<br>> > Thanks for your help.<br>> > Michael Mezhinsky RPT<br></div>                                            </div></div>                                            </div></body>
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