filing the Steinway hammers (was Kissin)

David Ilvedson, RPT ilvey@jps.net
Wed Jan 10 17:07 MST 2001


As I am juicing these hammers, I was wondering what devices you folks use to
apply it? I have a little bottle with a needle tip that works but drips...I
know one fellow who uses old Elmers Glue bottles...

David I.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Horace Greeley" <hgreeley@stanford.edu>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: filing the Steinway hammers (was Kissin)


>
> Hi, Ed, Jon, et al,
>
> At 09:23 AM 1/10/2001 -0500, you wrote:
> >  jon writes:
> >
> ><<The older hammers filed with ease, was that due to shellac in the
hammer or
> >lacquer or a better hammer making process. I bet the later.>>
> >
> >I generally autopsy hammers before I throw them away, and have cut open a
lot
> >of older Steinway hammers.  I don't see evidence of hardener in there
before
> >the 1950's.  I know,  they say that the hammers have always had a
hardener
> >put in them,  but I don't believe that.  A 1930 bass hammer, when cut
open
> >and the felt worked back and forth until it frays, doesn't seem to have
> >anything in there at all, and soaking the pieces with alcohol doesn't
seem to
> >change anything, which it would do if there was shellac imbedded in the
felt.
>
> The autopsy is a really good thing to do.  And, in general, I agree with
Ed
> about hardener; although, I have seen some hammer sets from C&A
instruments
> from the period which seemed to have shellac in them.  At the same time, I
> do not think that this was normal retail practice.
>
> >   I think the new hammers are made from felt that is cut poorly,
allowing
> > the
> >felting layers to be so non-continuous that when taken out of the cauls,
any
> >attempt to shape them will, like as not, follow a "grain" line directly
into
> >the hammer instead of following the contour around the edges.  I remember
the
> >Yamaha hammers of the the late '70's vintage doing much the same thing,
even
> >though they were harder to begin with.  Anybody else got ideas?
>
> Not only is the felt poorly cut, it is processed very differently.  The
> wool is left in acid longer, which breaks down the longer, more curly
> fibers that used to be so prevalent in older hammers (roughly pre-1955/56
> Wickert felt).  So, the fibers themselves, while being more uniform, and
> more easily felted, do not produce the same felt as was possible
> previously.  In shaping them, one has to establish, in a sense, not the
> grain, but the acceptable shape of the hammer.  Just-from-the-press does
> not work well.
>
> >    I don't mind adding lacquer to the new Steinway hammers before I do
> >anything else,  I haven't seen a new set in years that didn't ultimately
need
> >more than I thought possible.  Our new ones at Vanderbilt have the
professors
> >gnashing teeth,(after all this IS Gnashville!), and bewailing the
deadness of
> >their new pianos.  I have been holding back adding any more lacqer,
hoping
> >that a semester or two will bring the hammers up, but I had to harden one
set
> >on the direct request of a teacher.  I hardened the shoulders with two
> >eyedropper fulls of the 4:1 and it made a little difference.  She was
> >thrilled.  I hope that it will just speed up the break-in and not leave
us
> >with a real twanger next year.
>
> I agree that I have not seen anything (in probably nearly 30 years) that
> did not really need some kind of hardening.  At the same time, I do prefer
> to shape before adding any hardener.
>
> The newer instruments will need hardening.  Simple.  The amount is going
to
> vary with each situation.  In some cases, 4:1 (lacquer thinner:lacquer) is
> the right thing to use.  In others, perhaps thinner combinations, or use
of
> lacquer sanding sealer or shellac is appropriate or more reasonable.  I
> certainly use, but prefer not to use, acetone as a carrier as it
evaporates
> too quickly, wicking whatever hardening agent to the edges and/or leaving
> "lumps".  Ditto for keytop - which was originally goniffed from European
> makers by Chris Arena (while he was working in the service department at
> Steinway Hall).  In this latter iteration, it was applied only very thinly
> to bring up "highlights" on specific instruments which were part of
pending
> sales.  The lamentable and annoying progression from this light usage into
> the concert basement is a misuse of the technique.
>
> Best.
>
> Horace
>
>
> *********************************************
> Horace Greeley, CNA, MCP, RPT
> Systems Analyst/Engineer
> Controller's Office, Stanford University
> 651 Serra St., RM 100
> Stanford, CA 94305
>
> Voice:  650.725.9062
> Fax:     650.725.8014
> *********************************************
>
>



This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC