Filling fingernail gouges in sides of keys

[Mike Morvan]

David,
    We do a lot of this work by machining off the eroded area and replacing 
it with wood of the same species and grain orientation, and in an ideal 
world I believe that this method is the best way to do the restoration, most 
other procedures are temporary fixes. Plus with this method you can take up 
the slack between the keys and improve the spacing while correcting the 
erosion.
    But with the circumstances as you have described that is not an option. 
You could use Durham's rock hard water putty, it is not solvent-based so it 
will not dissolve the keytop and it is close in color to the keystick. I 
have done this a few times in the past and the only problem is that you need 
to get out all of the oils deposited by fingers over the years or the stuff 
will not stick. Unfortunately you find out that it didn't stick when it is 
dry, not when your putting it on, wasting a lot of time. It's also a bummer 
to already have the new keytops on while applying the putty, yikes, 
hindsight is always 20/20. Good luck.   Mike

Blackstone Valley piano
Michael A. Morvan
76 Sutton Street
Uxbridge, Ma 01569
(508) 278-9762
www.pianoandorgankeys.com
www.thepianorebuilders.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 5:05 PM
Subject: Filling fingernail gouges in sides of keys


> What substances have people been satisfied with to fill fingernail gouges 
> on
> the sides of keys.  The set has new keytops so it would be nice to use
> something that won't dissolve them and is reasonably durable and a fair
> match in appearance.
>
> David Love
> davidlovepianos at comcast.net
> www.davidlovepianos.com
>
>
>