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madamdirecter t1_jdvef7u wrote

Honestly Old English cabinet polish did wonders for our poorly maintained hand me down piano (and came recommended by the tuner, so seems unlikely it would mess too much with sound/tone/humidity for more delicate pieces). Easy to find in a hardware store, I would recommend this if you want to keep some of the antique look (ie not completly sand down/refinish) but still want to even out color and tone.

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MistaMistaT t1_jdviw96 wrote

Regular old English contains silicone, you don't want to use that, because it will cause refinishing issues even decades down the line.

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madamdirecter t1_jdvj1jq wrote

Huh TIL. Can you expand on what issues the silicone causes?

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MistaMistaT t1_jdvjnln wrote

It's super slick and oily, and is almost impossible to remove. It can cause lacquer to break down over time. Even if you strip it all off, it's so sticky that tiny amounts can remain. These small amounts can cause fish-eye in a new finish if it's applied over top of it. Mohawk furniture polish is my favorite for my antiques, because it works well, and doesn't contain silicone.

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