It's Alive part II - Shellac?

[Ed Sutton]

Margaret-

I use blonde shellac (shellac 1 gram/alcohol 1 oz) to harden and brighten hammers.
It is easy to work in single and multiple applications, needles easily, and smells
a lot nicer than acetone or lacquer thinner.
I like the sound but don't claim to speak with authority beyond my own preference.
I don't like lacquer, so I learned this way. I haven't used it on concert pianos
except for slight brightening of tone.
Someone told me that before the introduction of lacquer finishes, shellac was used
to harden hammers in the Steinway factory.
I yield to the opinions of my more knowledgable colleagues.

Ed Sutton

----- Original Message -----
From: "C. E. Hood" <hood@uwplatt.edu>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 8:21 PM
Subject: It's Alive part II - Shellac?


> Early piano makers sometimes use shellac (pretty thin mix) to brighten hammers,
the Viennese kind which are layers of leather stretched & glued over the core.  I
understand that this was done in early times.  Any comments?  Haven't tried it on
felt, but it will soak in as far as you want, it can be re-softened & thinned in
situ by adding alcohol solvent; if the surface is scratchy & clangy, scritch it a
bit with a knife blade.
>   Best, Margaret
>
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