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"Key Grease" What is it? Where to buy it. I've searched the forums and googled the question with little result. (Actually, that's what led to my discovery, and membership, of this forum). I'm restoring a Roland RD-300s (see picture in this thread: Are air canisters safe to use on a DP? ). I've seen some here recommend Lithium grease, but I'm reluctant to use something of that low viscosity (very thin). I have spoken to Roland and they would be happy to sell me a tub of their mistery-goo (no that's not what it's actually called and the Roland guy didn't have any name for it other than "pink key grease" - note that an alternate "blue key grease" was also available) for $72 (which is probably enough to do 1,000 keyboards and I only want to do one.) Anyone have any sources for a small amount of the right stuff ?

I don't know where the grease is used. Does it need to have specific dielectric properties, or is it just a mechanical lubricant? We have a material science lab at work. If I knew what I was asking for, I could ask them.

It is applied to the black plastic guides that ride inside each plastic key. It's super slick, so slick in fact if you try to hold the plastic piece with a pair of needle-nose pliers it just falls out. My guess is it is some form of teflon. You can see the white stuff on the black plastic guides in this picture:

No specific dielectric properties required - it's purely mechanical.

OK, I get the idea. I'll ask the eggheads at work, someone probably knows.

White Lithium grease should work fine.

Will reduce friction and shouldn't get runny under any operating temperatures the keybed would be subject to.

It probably has something to do with lessening friction as the keys are depressed to provide a smoother action...so it works as a lubricant then for a smoother action in depressing keys (possibly even during the release of a key as it returns to its original "un-depressed" key).

I'm wondering however, how this "smoother feel" due to less friction would be during the summer when temperature is high and during winter when temperature is low?...I presume that due to certain properties of the grease the key depression might be a little heavier during cold weather or low temperature than during warmer temperatures (during summers maybe).

I have a couple of questions though:

1) in time, basing it on the RD-300 that you have currently, how much of the grease appear to have been "integrated" (or solidified or even somewhat dried up) into the black supporting plastic guides leading to a need in re-application of "key grease"

2) since you've opened up an RD-300 currently, could you at least let us in some inside, "first-hand" info if it actually has "springs" in them?...I mean under each individual key that would sort of help the keys return to their original position after being depressed...I'm just curious

None of the grease shows any sign of solidifying, drying or degrading in any way. As this is a complete disassembly, and since some dust migrated to the grease during disassembly, I'd prefer to thoroughly wash all the plastic pieces - then apply new key grease. At the moment I have all the guides in a sealed plastic bag - grease intact - until I find the right stuff. I will not use lithium grease as I'm reasonably confident that it's not what this is.
Yes, there are springs inside each key. I will put together a web page with a complete collection of step by step pictures when I'm done. I will create a new thread with a link to this new page and post it in this forum.

I talked to the materials guys at work, they suggested using a dry silicon or teflon lubricant. Avoid any petroleum based product unless it specifically states it's OK for that type of plastic. They said some kinds of white lithium grease are safe for plastics, but not all plastics, so probably best to avoid it. They suggested dry teflon as the first choice to avoid attracting dust and grit, but here's a grease form of teflon:

Teflon Grease