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<BODY><FONT size=4>Ah, well. As a heavy carnivore concerned about the environment and preserving scarce tropical woods, I have found the ideal solution to the problem, one that is all organic and beautifully natural: I eat with my fingers before playing the piano! That way the animal grease protects the wood from my highly destructive sweat ... and makes it real shiny, too.<BR><BR>Alan Barnard<BR>Salem, Missouri<BR><BR></FONT>> Dear Terry,<BR>> I agree with you that natural ebony is gorgeous.<BR>> It is NOT however, impervious to the acidic sweats and<BR>> salts in fingers, not to mention boogers, various<BR>> bodily fluids, etc.. Some people ( especially heavy<BR>> carnivores, as a matter of fact) have REALLY<BR>> destructive sweat, and I've seen plenty of pianos<BR>> where the sharps, and sides of naturals, for that<BR>> matter, are quite literally melted away. I might leave<BR>> the sharps unfinished on my own piano, as I wash my<BR>> hands every time I use it. But for the general <BR>> "hoi-poloi"? Nope. Bad idea, unless you enjoy<BR>> depleting rare wood species.<BR>> Thump<BR>> <BR></BODY></HTML>