[CAUT] Schimmel attacked by fabric softener

[Alan McCoy]

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I just found a supplier for blonde shellac flakes:
http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/search.exe?BP=3D1
Product #848-845 Super Blonde Shellac Flakes
$25 for what looks like a lifetime supply for most folks.

I know S&S used shellac in the =B3early years=B2 for hammer hardening before
switching to lacquer. My curiosity piqued, I think I=B9ll  give it a try.

Alan

=20



From: Ed Sutton <ed440@mindspring.com>
Reply-To: <ed440@mindspring.com>, "College and University Technicians
<caut@ptg.org>" <caut@ptg.org>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 11:08:40 -0400
To: "College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>" <caut@ptg.org>
Subject: RE: [CAUT] Schimmel attacked by fabric softener

I will suggest that you try a solution of one gram blonde shellac flakes to
one ounce of wood alcohol.
=20
Soak in from the upper shoulders until the hammer is wet.
=20
Let dry a few hours for first test, full brightness after about 12 hours.
=20
You can add more shellac solution, or soak out with pure alcohol if you
don't like it, as it is easily dissolved by alcohol.  Alcohol smells better
than lacquer thinner, and the dry flakes have a shelf life of perhaps a
century.
=20
I find it voices easily, and like the tone, which to me is warm and full
without brittleness.
=20
I have heard that when piano factories used shellac in the finish, shellac
was used to harden hammers.
=20
I don't have a lot of experience with Steinway hammers, but have used
shellac in a school where all the hammers were excessively softened, and go=
t
good results.
=20
You might try on a few sample hammers to start.
=20
Ed Sutton
=20
=20
=20
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:  <mailto:HepplerA@aol.com>
> To: caut@ptg.org
> Sent: 5/20/2005 10:43:45 AM
> Subject: [CAUT] Schimmel attacked by fabric softener
>=20
> One quick question for you more experienced techs out there. . .
>     I have a 7' Schimmel on consignment in the store I work for that need=
s
> some radical changes in the voicing.  To the request of the previous owne=
r,
> the bass and upper treble sections have been voiced down considerably.
> Unfortunately, the tooner used fabric softener as well as excessive steam=
, as
> I'm guessing from the shrinkage.  I have just spent a couple weeks with
> Boesendorfer in one-on-one voicing training, so I'm comfortable with most
> voicing jobs, but this is nasty.  The top 1/4" or so is as soft as gym so=
cks,
> it smells like Downy, and there's even a few scorch marks in the bass.  I=
s
> there any point in trying to save this set of hammers, or should I save m=
yself
> the agony and just replace them?  O.K., now, control your grimaces. :)
> =20
> Elizabeth Heppler, R.P.T.
> Montana State University - Bozeman



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