[CAUT] Steinway D hammers

[Fred Sturm]

	As I mentioned earlier, in a thread about lacquer and Steinway  
hammers, I was about to install some new Steinway hammers on a D -  
these being current production, dipped in lacquer. I have completed  
the install (along with new action parts), and found what I expected  
from experience: the bottom 4-5 octaves were fine, the top 2 1/2  
octaves very weak (in a curve, getting weakest at the top). I applied  
6:1 lacquer (my own, off the shelf nitrocellulose, which is about  
twice as thick as the stuff Steinway used; hence my formula is  
equivalent to the 3:1 they talk about) to the top sections. And  
lightly sanded after it dried (120 paper).
	Results? Great. Quite nice already, really. Plenty of power to work  
with. Easy to stick needles in. This will go fast and end up quite  
decent, I am sure. (A lot less work than 40 plus stitches per shoulder  
with many of the common "hard-pressed" hammers, plus the evening out  
work).
	Bottom line, I don't find the dipped hammers over-lacquered. They  
just save me a step soaking the whole set myself and doing an initial  
sanding (they come pre-sanded as well).
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu