The Teflon Paste

When completing an application of Teflon powder try this paste.  Place a small amount of Teflon powder in a bowl. Mix in some isopropyl alcohol to make a paste.

Then apply that paste to the leather or buckskin knuckles. The alcohol evaporates quickly and leaves only the Teflon. Applied this way keeps the Teflon dust down to a minimum.

I have also found that the alcohol allows the Teflon to migrate further into the fibres of the buckskin. After several applications over time, even when the knuckles are brushed, one can see that a certain amount of Teflon remains impregnated in the material of the knuckle. 

Another observation I have with this paste is the fact that at times the paste will shrink the knuckle buckskin a certain amount. This is beneficial when technicians find certain knuckles have gone soft from use, which is the buckskin stretching. The paste can be used in certain circumstances to replace bolstering.  At times, if I am aware that the knuckle materials are soft prior to applying this paste, I will use the 70% isopropyl instead of the usual 91% solution. The added water in the 70% helps to shrink the buckskin making the knuckle hard again.

I would recommend mixing this up in small batches, otherwise the alcohol evaporates before you get a chance to use the mixture and you will have to remix.

I cannot claim the original as my own. This came to me a few years ago from Jerry Groot RPT who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Thanks Jerry!

Here is a set of photos showing the Teflon paste.

Teflon Paste 

Williams Piano Company

Williams Piano Company of Oshawa was another leading Canadian piano company that developed a rather unique response to compete with the new Heintzman plate design.

Robert Sugden Williams had a new plate designed called New Scale Williams. This involved a new plate flange similar in look to the Heintzman Patented Agraffe bridge flange.

In the New Scale Williams design holes were not drilled into the flange itself but an agraffe was set into the backside of the flange, in what I have called a reverse agraffe assembly.  

Recently I came across one of these instruments and took a series of photos of this particular set-up.

I can imagine if one of these agraffes ever broke it would be impossible to repair without removing the entire plate.

Please note that recently Google has changed the Picasa web albums that I use here on this blog. If anyone experiences problems with viewing the photos let me know and I will assist in solving the problem.

The link below is the photo set for the New Scale Williams plate design. 

New Scale Williams