[CAUT] Whitening Ivories

[Jeannie Grassi]

Hello John,
I learned a little bit about ivories from my dear friend and mentor, Bill
Smith.

To really bleach the ivories, a much stronger solution of hydrogen peroxide
is helpful.  What is typically available at the drugstore is a weak 3%.
Something more like 30% would do the job.  This is the strength that is used
in beauty salons.  I got some from the person who cuts my hair.  She poured
me some out of a commercial bottle that was already that strength.  

Something else to consider is that water, and other liquids that contain
water, will soften ivory and warp it unless controlled in some fashion.  So
when you apply some of these solutions, pay attention to how wet you are
getting the ivory.  If it is still attached to the keytop, it might be OK,
but make sure the glue is not compromised in the process.  If you are trying
to bleach the ivories off of the keys, then you will have to control how
much they warp and curl.  It might help to put them in a press or under some
sort of weight.  (Bill demonstrated that he could tie a knot in an ivory
tail when it was wet.)

Also, ultraviolet rays help the process, either from a black light or the
sun (not always available in the Pacific Northwest, however....:>) 

And one last reminder....not all ivory is the same.  Some are more porous
than others and will absorb your solutions differently than a more dense
piece.  A few sample tests might be prudent.
 
I always find it great fun to cheer up a keyboard by whitening the ivories!
I hope this is helpful.
jeannie

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
johnparham at piano88.com
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 8:13 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Whitening Ivories

List,

I am not a CAUT tech, but I monitor this list because of the variety of
perspectives and opinions that it offers. 

The recent discussion of whitening ivories caught my attention.  Tonight
I experimented with the idea of using hydrogen peroxide and cream of
tartar that I read about here.  This is what I found:

1. First I used a topical solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%)available
from a drugstore on an old dirty and dingy-looking ivory head.  Hydrogen
peroxide by itself seemed to clean the ivory very easily, similar to
using acetone to degrease metal, but it left a faint film on the ivory. 
When I scratched it with my fingernail to simulate playing, I polished
the ivory.  To finish the cleaning process, therefore, I had to buff the
key with a cloth.

2. Next I used 10 grams of 3% hydrogen peroxide with three teaspoons of
cream of tartar mixed in.  Using a paper towel, I dabbed a little of
this mixture onto the ivory and began to polish it.  The cream of tartar
immediately precipitated out as I polished the ivory.  The end result
was a very clean, shiny ivory.  I did not need to buff the ivory because
there was no film on it. I like the results so much that I will use this
technique on the old Chickering action I am working on this weekend.

I am curious about specific techniques that you all have discovered that
work well.  

What specific ratios of solutions have you experimented with?  Should I
use less cream of tartar so it does not precipitate out so quickly?

Does a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide work better to not just
clean but to whiten the ivories as well?

Does the cream of tartar act only as an abrasive polishing agent? 

After using the acidic solution of hydrogen peroxide, is it necessary to
neutralize the ivory with a base to prevent any further interaction with
residual hydrogen peroxide and the ivory?

Thank you for sharing your ideas.

-John Parham, RPT
Hickory, NC 

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