<!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 5.50.4611.1300" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<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="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=kenrpt@cvn.net href="mailto:kenrpt@cvn.net">Ken =
Jankura</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto: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></BODY></HTML>