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One of the simplest jobs in the restoration process,
is the cleaning of the metal tuners and tailpiece. The photo shows
tuners from the same instrument, before and after cleaning. The
tail pieces are from different instruments, though very similar. I
generally begin with a wire brush, and progress to fine Dremel
brushes for polishing. I free up jammed tuners with WD40 and often
apply a little '3 in 1' bicycle oil. Wisdom has it, that oil or
grease collects dust which is not good for tuners, but I have
found it less of a problem than rust, jammed tuners and broken
buttons!!!
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Screw cleaning can be done individually with a dremel
and a wire brush.... but they are fiddly to hold. A better method,
which works well especially if you have a lot to do.. (me for
example..) is to pop them in a screw top jar with some vinegar...
just enough to cover the screws. Leave them there for 2-3 days,
shaking vigorously occasionally. Rinse off with clean water
afterwards, dry, then pop them into another jar with a little oil
and shake for a while. This will ensure that when they come out,
they wont just start to rust again, which is what happpened the
first time I tried this. Since oiling, wipe off any excess, they
stay clean, ready for re-use.
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