Touch weight

[Fred Sturm]

The Steinway guys use protek or McLube on just about every other felt 
surface - wipp heels, key end felt, key bushings. But not action centers. I 
haven't run across a new Steinway center I needed to lube, at least not in 
recent memory, so I can't speak from experience. I'm just repeating what 
I've been told.
Fred

--On Friday, December 19, 2003 10:11 AM -0500 Wimblees@aol.com wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 12/19/03 9:04:06 AM Central Standard Time,
> fssturm@unm.edu writes:
>
> The Steinway "Permafree II" action centers are impregnated with a teflon
> solution, which lubricates and provides additional firmness. We had quite
> a  bit of discussion of this over the past couple months, with respect to
> firmness versus friction.
>     No other manufacturer uses this method. Most others are pure,
> "unadulterated" felt, some have graphite applied to one surface. All
> others  will respond to lubrication with Protek, and/or to
> shrinking/sizing with  alcohol/water. Steinway will not respond to
> either, due to that
> impregnation with teflon. Pure methanol, a controlled substance, is
> available (at least in colder climes) as gas line "de-freezer." Eric
> Schandall says he thinks ethanol will work as well.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
>
>
> When I was at Steinway last summer, I could have sworn Eric told us to
> use Protek on the bushings. I will see if I can find methanol here in
> "warm and sunny" Alabama.
> Wim