Mark, here are three posts from my files that should satisfy your inquiry. ----------- Subj: Hammer steaming testimonial Date: Tue, May 23, 1995 9:47 AM CST From: pianotech@byu.edu X-From: Daniel.Dover@Dartmouth.EDU (Daniel Dover) To Dave Stanwood: A thousand thanks for your tip on steaming hard hammers to bring down the brightness. It works beautifully, and so fast! Just a split second for each hammer in the spout, with a good head of steam. I've been going around to all the practice room grands here at Dartmouth and tt makes a huge difference. My confession: The very first hammer I tried steaming (a Steinway 'L' in a practice room), I flipped the hammer into the spout and it got caught! In a panic I of course made things worse by sloshing boiling water into the hammer (the kettle was too full-- you only need a little water.) Boy was I glad no one was around. Anyway, that one hammer is kind of a funny shape right now (I'll leave it to your imagination-- don't try it) and eventually I'll have to replace it, but you know it really doesn't sound all that bad! Anyway, that was my training cost, and it was well worth it. Thanks again, Dave. Danny Dover Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Subj: Re: Hammer steaming testimonial Date: Tue, May 23, 1995 1:13 PM CST From: pianotech@byu.edu X-From: PNOTNR@aol.com Dave's demonstration at the Vermont Seminar was far and away the most dramatic (and simple) voicing procedure I have ever seen and heard. I must confess that at a lot of other voicing classes, the instructor inserts a needle, the class reacts with a wave of enthusiasm, and I sit there thinking, "well,...I guess I hear the difference". Dave steamed a very bright hammer on a small Yamaha grand for only as long as it took to insert and remove from the spout, and my jaw nearly fell on the floor with the result. Maybe I'll get over my fear of voicing with this technique! Gordon Large, RPT Mount Vernon, ME Subj: Re: Hammer steaming Date: Wed, May 24, 1995 8:47 PM CST From: pianotech@byu.edu X-From: PNOTNR@aol.com William, It's a fairly straight forward operation. Using an electric kettle, you get the water boiling rapidly, then with the action out and resting on your lap, you insert and remove the hammer head into the spout (which should be about the size of a hammer head). The hammers never stops. It is literally in and out. You'll be surprised at how much change you get for so little time. I purchased my electric kettle at Wal-Mart...It cost about $19.00 and could be used to make soup if the stove quits. ----------- Keith A. McGavern, RPT Oklahoma Chapter 731 Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, Oklahoma Gordon Large Mt. Vernon, ME
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