Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

Oy!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Oy!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Thanks, Horace, for your archival level knowledge, and for your sympathy as well!

Oy!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Thanks, Horace, for your archival level knowledge, and for your sympathy as well!

Oy!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

I asked around the factory yesterday and the way this was achieved was to first coat the piano in lacquer, and rub to a satin finish like a typical New York Steinway, then coat it again with lacquer and polish with a buffing wheel. 

This was difficult to achieve as the lacquer is very thin even with the extra coating. There was also a risk of melting the lacquer with the buffing wheel if your rpms were too high or you stayed in the same spot for too long.

The only way to restore it is with a buffing wheel. Use caution!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

Thanks for making the effort to try to get to the bottom of what we have here, Daniel. Your readiness to find out what's what and your good communication skills are a credit to your employer.

Best,

Alan

I asked around the factory yesterday and the way this was achieved was to first coat the piano in lacquer, and rub to a satin finish like a typical New York Steinway, then coat it again with lacquer and polish with a buffing wheel. 

This was difficult to achieve as the lacquer is very thin even with the extra coating. There was also a risk of melting the lacquer with the buffing wheel if your rpms were too high or you stayed in the same spot for too long.

The only way to restore it is with a buffing wheel. Use caution!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

Alan, they say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.  Unless you have extensive experience in lacquer refinishing or have been trained in touch up repair and do it regularly, you do not know what you don't know even with our (somtimes less than) sagely advice.  As Daniel said, those finishes are thinner, and rub through is always just around the corner.  You may serve your school better by saying that you do not feel that you have sufficient skills to do a proper repair, and you are running the risk of making it worse and not better.  You are obviously a fine technician, so no harm, no foul.

Thanks for making the effort to try to get to the bottom of what we have here, Daniel. Your readiness to find out what's what and your good communication skills are a credit to your employer.

Best,

Alan

I asked around the factory yesterday and the way this was achieved was to first coat the piano in lacquer, and rub to a satin finish like a typical New York Steinway, then coat it again with lacquer and polish with a buffing wheel. 

This was difficult to achieve as the lacquer is very thin even with the extra coating. There was also a risk of melting the lacquer with the buffing wheel if your rpms were too high or you stayed in the same spot for too long.

The only way to restore it is with a buffing wheel. Use caution!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

William,
I had no intention of attempting to refinish this or any other piano myself, but I appreciate your "don't go there, girlfriend" caution just the same.

Also appreciated is your leap of faith in surmising that I am a fine technician, having read my posts but not having followed my work. Back at you!

Alan

Alan, they say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.  Unless you have extensive experience in lacquer refinishing or have been trained in touch up repair and do it regularly, you do not know what you don't know even with our (somtimes less than) sagely advice.  As Daniel said, those finishes are thinner, and rub through is always just around the corner.  You may serve your school better by saying that you do not feel that you have sufficient skills to do a proper repair, and you are running the risk of making it worse and not better.  You are obviously a fine technician, so no harm, no foul.

Thanks for making the effort to try to get to the bottom of what we have here, Daniel. Your readiness to find out what's what and your good communication skills are a credit to your employer.

Best,

Alan

I asked around the factory yesterday and the way this was achieved was to first coat the piano in lacquer, and rub to a satin finish like a typical New York Steinway, then coat it again with lacquer and polish with a buffing wheel. 

This was difficult to achieve as the lacquer is very thin even with the extra coating. There was also a risk of melting the lacquer with the buffing wheel if your rpms were too high or you stayed in the same spot for too long.

The only way to restore it is with a buffing wheel. Use caution!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

Editing cause I see you said lacquer.  (Jescar paint refresh for polyester finish)

To the extent this is original, I believe this finish was achieved with polishing techniques and must be maintained using those same techniques. In other words, there isn't a product that will restore it

I wish I knew what those techniques were but I'm ignorant of them.

You could always convert to satin lacquer 

------------------------------
Daniel DeBiasio
Technical Education & Support
ddebiasio@steinway.com
718-267-3229
Steinway & Sons
------------------------------

Thanks for making the effort to try to get to the bottom of what we have here, Daniel. Your readiness to find out what's what and your good communication skills are a credit to your employer.

Best,

Alan

I asked around the factory yesterday and the way this was achieved was to first coat the piano in lacquer, and rub to a satin finish like a typical New York Steinway, then coat it again with lacquer and polish with a buffing wheel. 

This was difficult to achieve as the lacquer is very thin even with the extra coating. There was also a risk of melting the lacquer with the buffing wheel if your rpms were too high or you stayed in the same spot for too long.

The only way to restore it is with a buffing wheel. Use caution!

Thanks for your input, Daniel!.

It's the original finish, all right. This piano was purchased new at my school and has not been refinished. I am only surmising that it is lacquer, because all the many edges that have had the finish rubbed off.

Beat,

Alan

If this was actually "French polish" alcohol is the solvent and using alcohol will soften or remove the finish!

Water or water based cleaners might spot or bloom (turn white) a shellac based or French polished finish. If you tried water and isopropyl alcohol and it wasn't a disaster you probably have a lacquer finish.

If you had dirt or grime to remove lemon oil or other oil-based finish treatment will work.  

Howards Restore a Finish is safe, though it won't do much for a black finish, but a Sharpie will color in any worn edges or lighter marks.

Waxes are also safe and might help to remove dirt and grime.

Actually...if in fact one was wanting to aggressively improve the finish (without refinishing), I think (repeat THINK) French polishing might be the way to go, though if one is a newbie to it there is definitely a learning curve. Since "shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac", if the underlying lacquer still has its original integrity, a good polisher could simply build on top of what's there with shellac dyed black. 

I have successfully patched in cheek veneer replacements using FP, as well as various other touch up related areas, even "sprucing up" a complete piano once. It ain't quick, but it's a great skill to learn.

He may not agree (or want me saying this), but Tim Foster, RPT has learned to do it extremely well, and is a good source if needed. 

Alan,

I know you don't want to do anything like that on this piano but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. 😉  😃 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

If this was actually "French polish" alcohol is the solvent and using alcohol will soften or remove the finish!

Water or water based cleaners might spot or bloom (turn white) a shellac based or French polished finish. If you tried water and isopropyl alcohol and it wasn't a disaster you probably have a lacquer finish.

If you had dirt or grime to remove lemon oil or other oil-based finish treatment will work.  

Howards Restore a Finish is safe, though it won't do much for a black finish, but a Sharpie will color in any worn edges or lighter marks.

Waxes are also safe and might help to remove dirt and grime.

Thank you for this and all your other contributions to the "hive mind," Peter (and for outing Tim Foster!).

Alan

Actually...if in fact one was wanting to aggressively improve the finish (without refinishing), I think (repeat THINK) French polishing might be the way to go, though if one is a newbie to it there is definitely a learning curve. Since "shellac sticks to everything and everything sticks to shellac", if the underlying lacquer still has its original integrity, a good polisher could simply build on top of what's there with shellac dyed black. 

I have successfully patched in cheek veneer replacements using FP, as well as various other touch up related areas, even "sprucing up" a complete piano once. It ain't quick, but it's a great skill to learn.

He may not agree (or want me saying this), but Tim Foster, RPT has learned to do it extremely well, and is a good source if needed. 

Alan,

I know you don't want to do anything like that on this piano but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. 😉  😃 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

If this was actually "French polish" alcohol is the solvent and using alcohol will soften or remove the finish!

Water or water based cleaners might spot or bloom (turn white) a shellac based or French polished finish. If you tried water and isopropyl alcohol and it wasn't a disaster you probably have a lacquer finish.

If you had dirt or grime to remove lemon oil or other oil-based finish treatment will work.  

Howards Restore a Finish is safe, though it won't do much for a black finish, but a Sharpie will color in any worn edges or lighter marks.

Waxes are also safe and might help to remove dirt and grime.