Softening Hardened Damper Felts

Arnold arnold@nando.net
Mon, 11 Mar 1996 12:28:45 -0500 (EST)


I am asking this question for a fellow technician who does not have net
access.  He has a piano to service that has one of these tops that is
hinged so that it  folds back in half.  Some water dripped down through
the crack and got onto some of the damper felts.  It missed the hammers,
but affected the dampers.  Now, they make that "yick" noise when they
contact the strings, when the key is released, making us think they have
gotten hard. Is there any way to re-soften them.  I have tried needling
them, but with almost no success.  I have heard that lanolin can be
brushed into them, but want to confirm that it works before trying it.
Or, must he just replace them?  There was nothing wrong with them before
contact with the water.



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