<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Ken:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have a piece of hammer felt that I have shaped like a key bushing caul.  I dip the felt in Teflon powder and insert it in the key bushing (while the keys are off the action).  That works well and puts lots of Teflon in the bushing felt that tends to stay there for a long time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>dave<BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********<BR><BR>On 8/3/01 at 8:20 PM Kevin E. Ramsey wrote:</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Hi, Ken. I don't think I've ever replied directly to one of your postings before.  Here are my thoughts on this issue. I don't really have too much experience with teflon bushings, but I do with Protek CLP. The way I know CLP to work, and have demonstrated it to my own satisfaction, is that it works primarily on metal, not necessarily on felt. It seems to plate or coat the metal with a polymer type lubricant. The carrier flashes off, leaving the polymer. Some people don't like to use it on brass, like key pins or aggraffes, because if you store it in a container with a brass spout, it will react with the copper in the brass, and start to turn blue. The implication is that it will cause verdigris on brass parts. I have not found that to be the case, because it's the carrier that is reacting with the copper, not the lubricant. (And remember, the carrier evaporates.) </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    So your application of the Protek couldn't hurt, possibly not the best cure, but it sure as heck will make a difference. You were right to apply teflon to the knuckles too, that probably made a big difference too. I have seen many a newer piano where I first approached it and checked the aftertouch, and felt a "squeaking" in the jack letting off; applied Spurlock's Micro Fine Teflon, and then felt it, and it was gone! </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Here's something you all should try, I love this when I'm trying to get the friction down;     Remove the up-stop rail that holds the keys. Lift the keys up, a few at a time, and apply Protek CLP to both sides of each front key pin. Do an octave or so at a time, using a Q-tip or eye-shadow, sponge tipped thingee, ( my favorite), before applying more to the implement, and then check your UW/DW. Report your findings back here. My customers just love the way their keys feel, and continue to feel to them. No need to soak the bushings, just coat the pins.  A dozen drops does the whole set of front key pins. Who'd a thunk it?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    The way I really began to think about the action of the CLP, was when I kept tuning a Yamaha C7 for concert work. I would regularly mute off the back duplex area with masking tape, just so that I didn't have to listen to any extraneous noise while tuning. After several concerts, I noticed that I was getting a little noticeable residue on the strings there, and I thought that it looked "tacky" to let it go like that. So,  I put a little CLP on a small piece of cloth, and used it to clean the rear duplex strings. I then took a dry cloth and wiped the remainder off, buffing the strings to a shine. Two or three months go by; I'm called on to prepare the piano for a big concert. I go about my usual procedure, getting the piano ready etc, but when I try to apply the masking tape, It won't stick. I got my Naphtha out and cleaned the strings, it STILL WON'T STICK!  At this point I'm thinking "What IS this stuff". Then I found out about this technique of coating metal parts with a treatment other than teflon, and I think it clicked for me. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I know, more than you really wanted to know.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Kevin  Ramsey<BR><A href="mailto:ramsey@extremezone.com">ramsey@extremezone.com</A> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:kenrpt@cvn.net" title=kenrpt@cvn.net>Ken Jankura</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 03, 2001 7:29 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Protek & Teflon</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>  I service a S&S D at a local college, and recently the pianist complained of<BR>heavy touch. It's a '72 teflon, and the downweight was around 70, upweight<BR>around 30 or so. I used Protek on an experimental hammer center or two and<BR>measured a 5 to 10 gram reduction in downweight. Has anyone run into this<BR>before? I lubed all centers and used teflon on the knuckles and all was well<BR>(all things considered). The pianist called to say how happy she was and what a miraculous job I had done making the piano playable again. What gives?</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Ken Jankura</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Newburg, PA</FONT><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT size=2 Arial></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML> <PRE> _____________________________ David M. Porritt dporritt@swbell.net Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 _____________________________</PRE>