>How do others keep the grime from building up on the pianos? We have 21 >Steinways M's that are just 2 years old and look awful. What works? I know >hermetically sealing them might do, but the students just wouldn't go for >that! : ) > >John Minor >University of Illinois Don't use Cory! Even though one of the products is supposedly designed for satin piano finishes. I tried it on one older Steinway M here. It left blue streaks which got worse the more I tried to get them out. I was told by the long time dealer here to use mild soap (like Ivory bar soap) and water, which I haven't tried yet. I once used the powdered Guardsman professional polish (mix w/water) and soft cotton cloths, and that did a good job, but be ready to spend some time. Steinway service manual reads: "...Cleaning the piano should be done with a slightly dampened cheese cloth, wipin the surface only in the direction the piano was originally polished... ...Do not use solvents of any kind... General Polishing Steps A) Satin finish * Dry 4-0 steel wool as necessary to even off * Dry 4-0 steel wool with small amount of pumice stone * Dry medium (gray) Scotchbrite * Medium Scotchbrite with "fill-n-glaze"/water mixture with fine pumice * Lightly steel wool with water to clean and remove pumice B) Satin Lustre (High Satin) * Moisten fine Scotchbrite pad on block with water * Add small amount of fine (4F) pumice stone and rub. * Polish with moistened buffing pad on block, add "fill-n-glaze" polishing compound. C) High Polish * Block sand with 500 and the 600 wet/dry paper using light petroleum oil, as necessary to even off (do not use steel wool). * Moisten buffing pad on block with water and hand rub with a fine grit polishing compound. (Dupont 606 or Ruthlo W-5040). * Repeat process until all scratches are gone. * Use buffing wheel to which is applied 3M, pink, "fill-n-glaze" polishing compound. * Finish by cleaning area off using 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, or Old North Manufacturing Luxon." Does anybody do it this way? Sounds like it would be easy to screw up a finish if you don't do it often enough to master it. And with a CAUT workload.... I'm curious about what everyone else uses, too. And what do you do around the hinges and topslips to keep it from looking like you can't get to that spot? While on the subject, someone is donating us a gem of a piano. It's a Steinway L, ca 1950, satin mahogany. The action, including hammers, is in excellent condition and the sound is simply marvelous. My only concern is the mildew present on the underside of the lid. (an old home -- the owners leave town for months at a time) I don't see any other signs of moisture damage. But how do I remove this without damaging the finish? Jeff Tanner, Piano Technician School of Music University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 (803)-777-4392 (phone) (803)-777-6508 (fax)
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