Hairdressing suppliers have the strongest peroxide you can purchase outside of the medical industry.
40 volume is what you are looking for and buy the gelled one so it doesn't run all over everything else.
Ivory can be treated as wood. Sand lightly first to open up the grain then apply and set them out into the sun. When dry, apply again and then dry.
Wipe down with damp cloth then sand lightly with 320, 400, 600, then buff on the wheel with Tripoli cake. Do the plastic fronts with brasso or toothpaste.
Bleach will melt ivory so using bleach weakens the product.
I don't match them any longer. If either side is missing I replace the whole thing head and tail. Matching missing pieces of worn ivory is a futile exercise.
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Dan Silverwood
www.silverwoodpianos.comhttp://silverwoodpianos.blogspot.com/------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2018 08:33
From: Peter Grey
Subject: bleached ivories
Jeff,
I have the same issue pretty much, so when I go for a replacement I search through the vast storehouse of ivory and find the best fit (length, width, notch, no chips). Then I will sand first with 600 to see if it starts to whiten (which it usually does). Then I glue it on and sand/polish/fit to match.
At that point (securely glued on) if sanding does not work well enough, then judiciously apply HP as others have suggested. I did successfully whiten an entire keyboard with HP under a grow light. Slow, but worked great. Just kept applying HP as needed with a rag.
Pwg
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2018 00:09
From: Jon Page
Subject: bleached ivories
Ok, loose ivories. There has been posts on this, check the archives from many years ago. I think it involved turning the heads as they dry so as not to curl. It might have involved an oven to aid the drying process.
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Regards,
Jon Page
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2018 22:55
From: Larry Messerly
Subject: bleached ivories
Make sure you read the post before commenting.
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Larry Messerly, RPT
Bringing Harmony to Homes
www.lacrossepianotuning.com
ljmesserly@gmail.com
928-899-7292
Original Message:
Sent: 09-06-2018 22:11
From: Larry Fisher
Subject: bleached ivories
All of the above. I've used 30% hydrogen peroxide in the past on a very sunny day with a cotton swab and gloves. Periodically I visit the Basking keytops say about every 15 minutes or so, and reapply with the cotton swab. Wood bleach the two part stuff has hydrogen peroxide. Wear gloves! Tilt the keys so that they are as 90?? to the Sun as possible. The only time I've had trouble with the solution etching into the keys is when I set them entirely in solution as in no longer attached to the Keys. When they are as white as you would like them to be then polish them to finish the job.
Sent from my Verizon LG Smartphone
Original Message------
Make sure that they're glued tightly first.
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Regards,
Jon Page
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