Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Suggestions for lubricant?

I have a new Grotrian Cabinet. The key bushings are not tight, but when the key has any side ways force and moves up and down there is a teeny squeak on some keys. Do any of you use lubricant in these cases? (I assume the bushing does not need easing or there wouldn't be any side play, and besides there is no friction. The action feels like butta!)

If you do what do you recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Protek spray lube usually works well. Spray the center key bushing first (balance rail). If that doesn't work, spray the capstan at the back end of the key. The front of the key rarely squeaks, but a little lube at the front rail pin never hurts. Just avoid getting it on the key top.

Thanks Bob!

I think I hear it coming from the front but I'll check and report back. (Sounds like squeaky clean metal against cloth).

If you don't want to buy anything special, try rubbing some pencil lead on it.

There are two Protek products: clp and prolube. The clp is put on the felt while prolube is applied on the metal (pins). I would first clean and polish the pins before using either Protek products.

Just to update you - I took off all the keys, wiped the front rail key pins with a cloth that had a teflon lubricant (as a solvent, not enough to leave a lot on the pin). Then I put "Dry-Lube" from Reardon Products on the felt bushing for these pins. I also put the same on the whippen cushon. And as long as I had the action out on the hammer knuckles as well.

This seems to have stopped the noise that I heard!

Now the downside is - I really like this "dry-lube" but it appears it is no longer made. I have found a website for Driconite which makes something that sounds very similar. Has anybody tried this stuff? (Is it even available commercially or only to industrial customers?)

Any how thanks for the help!

Grotriman,you are asking for trouble by putting any dry lube product not designed or tested for pianos.These products can shrink,and cause knuckle buckskin to harden prematurely.They can also cause key bushings to harden,(I've seen them come unglued)and cause noise,and regulation problems.As reccomended,use only good powdered teflon,protek products,or McLube in piano actions.These problem won't happen overnight,but the effects will surely rear their ugly heads in the not to distant future.

Thanks Curry,

The lube was given to me by a noted piano technician here in the NYC area. (Started his career as a Steinway tech). I'd used it on my Steinway M for 10 years with no noticable degradation. However he may have been mistaken. I'll look into the properties of this stuff and report back. It appears to be Tungsten Disulfide.

The piano however had responded beautifully to this stuff! What a feel! I can play even more softly than I could before.

Geesh Guys, Have you Never heard of Teflon Powder???? and when you cant get that then use baby powder made from soap stone

Thomas,teflon powder was the first thing I advised to use in my first post to this topic.Preferably "Spurlock's Teflon Powder"tm.I have seen the results of some hardware store spray dry-lubes that have caused problems in the long run.Teflon powder should always be the first choice for relieving friction problems in a piano's action.

For the record this "Dry-Lube" is literally a powder, in dry form, in a "puff" bottle. There is no spray can involved.

I will get a bottle of your recommended teflon powder though.