[Wimblees@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 8/8/99 11:39:48 PM !!!First Boot!!!, 
fwilliam@collegeclub.com writes:

<< I have a question about WD 40 spray.  I recently tuned an 1885
 upright that had suffered from string breakage and 20 years of non-tuning.
 In accordance with the manuel, I taped a thick paper over the pins and
 carefully sprayed WD 40 onto the pressure bar and upper bridge.  No
 strings broke as I tuned this piano.  This worked well, but I'm very
 cautions about WD 40 and pianos.  Am I right in my concern?  Should I do
 this more regularly on 80+ year old pianos to reduce the risk of string
 breakage?
 
 Tomarrow I'll be tuning another upright that was never pulled up to A440
 pitch.  It was built in 1936 and hasn't been tuned for about 5 years.
 There is some rust on the pins and strings, but I've seen and tuned worse.
 Do you folks think I should lubricate the bridge and pressure bar of this
 piano?
 
 -Fritz William Herrick, piano technician
 Greenville ME, Montreal PQ. >>


Although the WD40 is helpful, in general, when I encounter an older piano 
like this, with rusty strings, etc. I tune it where it is. I will not take 
the chance of breaking strings, cracking soundboards or do other damage that 
the extra pressure might do to the piano. 

Willem Blees