HI Dave, No, it's not anthrax. It's just dirty and useless. I can't think of a single lube job in a piano that can't be done better with some other material. When I sit at a piano, slide the action back, and rest the front rail on my lap for voicing / regulating, I'd rather the glide bolts were lubed with talc. Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Nereson <dnereson@dimensional.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 7:15 PM Subject: graphite > On this graphite thing -- everybody talks about it like it's anthrax or > something, but I don't find the stuff all that offensive. Not powdered > graphite, anyhow. Graphite grease, yes -- that stuff is nasty because it > collects dust and gums up, slowing things down, rather than lubricating. > Technicians used it quite a bit in decades past and is now a no-no. (I > think that's the most commonly found gunk in repetition lever spring slots > of older grands). > But the powdered graphite I don't see as all that bad a substance, other > than being difficult to wipe off your fingers. Isn't that what piano > manufacturers used to put on the tops and tenders of jacks, on top of > repetition levers, on sliding surfaces like the hardwood plugs under the > glide bolts of grand actions and on the side of the action frame where it > contacts the shift return spring, and sometimes on dags and the back edge > of the back rail, and in certain spring grooves, and sometimes on sliding > surfaces of wooden trapwork levers, etc.?? > I don't use it much, except occasionally under the glide bolts if they > squeak when using the soft pedal (una corda). And on upright damper levers, > I'll pop the spring out, polish it, brush the felt clean with a toothbrush, > then lube the slot with pencil lead, which is essentially graphite, I > believe. I mean, as long as it's not graphite grease, and you don't lick > your fingers to dispose of the excess, what's wrong with > --David Nereson, RPT, Denver > >
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