BONE and IVORY KEY SURFACING
OF BEST QUALITY FROM
John
Nelson Woodworking
SINCE
1975
WE
RECOVER, REBUSH, and RESTORE KEYBOARDS
601
West Main Road
Little
Compton, RI 02837
401-635-4733
Fax. 401-635-2799
John Nelson Woodworking cuts and supplies
cattle bone and pre-ban African ivory for key tops on playing manuals, for guitar
nuts and saddles, knife handles and other uses. We also refurbish piano and organ
playing manuals. Begun as a woodworking shop in 1970, we started specializing
in the production of bone key tops in 1975, and some years later in making and
refurbishing keyboards. About ten years ago, we added pre-ban African elephant
ivory to our line. We continue today supplying bone and ivory to the international
musical instrument trade, and with recovering and restoring keyboards.
We manufacture the bone to peerless standards and have always selected our stock
as a replacement for ivory. Bone is harder than ivory. Both bone and ivory are
a creamy white and are self bleaching in the ambient ultraviolet light found in
day-lit rooms. Bleaching with hydrogen peroxide turns both dead white while also
slightly softening the material, and increasing the porosity. We are the only
producers of unbleached bone; our process secures good and even color without
bleaching.Because
bone is porous it makes an excellent playing surface by providing good traction
and by wicking away moisture. Over time, bone will become burnished with oil from
the fingers and continue to present an attractive appearance. Bone will also soak
up furniture polish, lubricating oil and hand cream which will compromise its
appearance. To prevent this kind of accident, seal the bone in the beginning with
butchers wax or water-based lacquer. Few of our customers have ever thought they
needed to seal the bone, however.
There are many plastic key tops on the market. They wear well; some are handsome;
a few attempt to provide the traction and absorptive capability of bone and ivory.
A large supplier recently touted its new manmade product while denigrating bone,
which it has supplied for years, in a self-fulfilling prophecy -- market indifferent
material and see how soon it will show its true character. Every bone plate we
sell is scrutinized, given a top and a front and cut to exclude bony characteristics,
just the way we get out wood by cutting around knots and checks. Further, we inspect
the interior, which you may do by placing a light behind, and reject any greasy
or coarse material.
We enjoy fixing nice things; we bring to bear our experience in keyboard making
to our keyboard recovering, ivory and sharp resurfacing and replacement, rebushing,
repinning, releathering and general repairs. We like the quiet handwork, a respite
from machine operation, and will return your playing manual to you fit, balanced
and lovely. Sincerely,Jack
Nelson