Flexible collodion for voicing hammers

[Horace Greeley]

Ed,

There are also some threads in the archives on ways to deal with the 
keytop/acetone problem.

I have always liked the tone of the collodion/ether combination, but do not 
recommend it for general use,
preferring to suggest either lacquer sanding sealer or lacquer with your 
choice of either acetone (fast) or
lacquer thinner (preferable) as hardening agents.

Best regards.

Horace



At 11:42 PM 12/3/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Ed:
>
>In the UK it was common to use flexible collodion. It was usually thinned
>with ether. It smells aweful so you must use good ventilation. The advantage
>of it is that it sets up very rapidly. Collodion was originally used to
>protect cuts and bruises to the skin. You may be able to find it at a drug
>store.
>
>Jim Coleman, Sr.
>
>On Fri, 3 Dec 1999 musutton@alpha.nlu.edu wrote:
>
> > Dear List,
> >       Anyone out there know anything about "flexible collodion" for 
> hardening
> > hammers?
> >       The story is: Steinway hammers, hardened with keytops in acetone, 
> later
> > brightened by addition of flexible collodion, now the tone is "uneven."
> >       I've not seen this piano yet; it's a long trip.  What is the solvent
> > for collodion?  Can these hammers be saved?  Anybody out there have any
> > opinions?  ;)
> >       Ed Sutton
> >