Removing old keytops

[Willem Blees]

Shawn

Use a wet rag and an old iron to heat the keytops. Depending on the glue, the tops would come off easily with a chisel. 
I only put on tops w/o fronts, because taking them off is much harder to do.? 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Honolulu, HI
808-349-2943
www.bleespiano.com
Author of 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Brock <shawnbrock at fuse.net>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 6:17 am
Subject: Removing old keytops



List,

?

I have a Kawai U S T 5 which was given to me.? Problems include, broken sustain peddle, finish damage and chipped keytops.? This is a piano that I will probably turn in to a rental...? So the object here is to make more money than you spend...? Given this fact, I am going to replace the keytops myself.? These are one peace top and front.? Anyone want to share ideas for removing them?? I can easily get them off from the back, it almost looks like they are not glued down in the back.? Taking this approach though causes them to snap in the middle.? I usually farm out my keytop business but this just seems to not be worth it...? So, back to the subject at hand...? Should I heat them?? Or is it better to just chip away at them.? The ones I have removed seem to come off easily, but I wonder if a little heat will make it easier still!? Question 2:? Do you think I should go with the one peace tops and fronts?? I will say, that I hate the one peace top and front but...? Its what was on the piano.? Oh, and yes I'm sure the same thing will happen at some point.? They will chip or start to come off, but this is not a piano that's mint to last a lifetime.? I have a feeling they would have lasted longer, but it looks like the piano might have been abused heavily.? Regards

Shawn Brock, RPT

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