Hello,  I am looking into replacing the keytops on a Chickering Grand.
Approximately half of the ivories are either missing or damaged on the
front half of the keys only.

My intention was to replace them with ivory (matched, if possible).
I visited a local piano rebuilder (Cunningham Piano, Phila) and they
discouraged me from attempting the job because of the difficulty in
removing the ivories and in getting a decent butt joint on the key tops.

I am almost convinced.  I tried removing an ivory from an old scrap key
by immersing the end of the key in hot water.  The ivory came off very
easily using a butter knife.  I know I can't do this with the keys from
the Chickering, but I found the results are encouraging me to move
forward with the ivory replacement, at least to try more tests.  Ivorine
or plastic is my second choice.

I do remember reading in this Digest about a fellow who can replace all
the keytops with plastic with excellent results.  But it's not ivory --
it's not original.  I would like to return the instrument to original
condition, if it is feasible.

Is there a reliable method to remove old ivories, square off the wood
keytop surface, and get a professional looking set of keys without
expensive alignment jigs and such?

Larry Toto

 [ Larry, did you read the Digest articles on this topic in the MMD
 [ Archive?  The thread continued for quite a while.  -- Robbie