Hi everyone.

I had an old Steinway restored about 5 years ago, and since being restored, the action regularly gets a bit stiff. The restorer has been coming round and applying some lubricant which tends to make the action better again for about 6 months to a year.

Sadly, he recently passed away. He always said it was something I could learn to do myself, but I never looked closely at what he was doing. I know how to pull out the action etc, but I'm unsure as to where exactly to apply the lubricant. Can anyone help me with this?

I've just ordered a bottle of Protek CLP and a dropper.

Many thanks

Hi there:

Not sure of all of your problems, but it's not unusual for a restored Steinway to have a heavy action. This can be permanently corrected with WN&G anodized lauminum capstans and perhaps a bit of key weighing. It should not need to be lubricated that frequently.

Hope this helps

Steve

Hi,

I'm just curious, is the piano in a hi humidity environment?

I should have said High humidity not Hi! humidity.

If the "restored" piano still has original flanges, it could be a verdigris problem. I've seen this happen too many times.

Hi Scooters - the piano's always been in a normal humidity environment. Eric - not everything was replaced during the restoration, and i think the flanges are original, so this could be the case...

If the hammer flanges are the culprit and the hammer heads and knuckles are new, then the recommendation would be to re-pin the hammer flanges. Reapplying the lubricant won't work for long. New center pins will bring the action back to life.

Hi...
I'll have to say then "ditto" what Randy just said. Talk to some local Piano Technicians and get er done.
That's the best.

Thanks Randy - I have a technicians name now, which I got from a local rehearsal studio. I can't actually afford to go through with that right now, so would still like a bit of advice on where to lubricate with the Protek CLP as a temporary measure...?

Okay fine.

1 - Mix the Protek in a solution with pure methanol, equal parts.

2 - Use a hypo-oiler to apply the solution directly to the ends of the center pins, allowing the solution to become absorbed by the center pin bushings. You'll have to pull the action out of the piano in order to do this step.

3 - Try not to be sloppy and allow the solution to go anywhere else, although it shouldn't hurt anything in the piano - but try to be neat.

4 - After a few weeks, when the action begins to stick again, call your piano technician and schedule a re-pinning job.

Don't forget to do both sides...on each flange...