Evidence of overlacquered hammers

[Barbara Richmond]

Ilex,

My rule:  just a little on top, just enough to soften the shoulders--and 
remember it wicks!  I have a friend who used *a lot* on a set of 
over-lacquered Steinway hammers and just started the voicing process 
over--and got great results.  I've never used the softener on Japanese 
hammers, but then I've never lacquered Japanese hammers either.  :-)

Good luck,

Barbara Richmond



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ilex cameron ross" <i1ex@earthlink.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 9:15 AM
Subject: RE: Evidence of overlacquered hammers


> Barbara, we have a set of hammers on a 9' Kawai EX that is just RUINED 
> from
> over lacquering, to the point where you can't even get the tone even'ed 
> out.
> since we already have a new set of hammers on order for this monster (a 
> term
> of endearment, i assure you), i'm going to give this technique a try when 
> i
> have time. we did experiment with soaking one of the hammers in lacquer
> thinner, then beating it to death on a clean table. it definitely changed
> the tone, but it's still got this underlying wonky harshness i can't
> describe too well. haven't had the time to try needling the one we 
> treated.
> i'm lucky to actually have this opportunity to see what works and what
> doesn't when it comes to japanese hammers.
>
> -ilex
>
> }-----Original Message-----
> }From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
> }Behalf Of Barbara Richmond
> }Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 9:41 AM
> }To: Pianotech
> }Subject: Re: Evidence of overlacquered hammers
> }
> }
> }So what does one do to help it, drench with acetone?  I must admit, I
> }haven't tried that yet.
> }
> }What the heck, even though it's polically incorrect and 9 or ten
> }years ago I
> }was told I was clogging up the hammers, here's what I've done with 
> hammers
> }with too much lacquer and when needling or whatever doesn't do the trick.
> }I've had a lot of experience with this, because *every* Steinway at IWU
> }(where I was on staff)--except a new D--had been over-lacquered
> }and since I
> }had no parts budget, I had to do something.
> }
> }I use a glass syringe (I batted my eye-lashes at the pharmacist 22
> }1/2 years
> }ago to get it without a prescription) and needle (of course).  Mix 8 
> parts
> }alcohol and one part fabric softener (yeah, yeah, I've heard what
> }some folks
> }think of fabric softener, but it works).  Carefully, one drop at a
> }time--and
> }you may only need one drop--on the place that has the lacquer, or
> }any other
> }place that you want to soften up.   It works and it can sound great. 
> The
> }nice thing about the syringe is it's easier to control where the
> }stuff goes
> }and with careful use, one can control the size of the drop.  If the sound
> }gets brought down too much, do whatever you'd do to brighten it up again
> }(filing, iron, etc.).
> }
> }There you have it.
> }
> }Barbara Richmond
> }
> }----- Original Message -----
> }From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@comcast.net>
> }To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> }Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 8:28 AM
> }Subject: RE: Evidence of overlacquered hammers
> }
> }
> }> It doesn't.  The issue here is not maintaining the strike point.  When
> }> the hammer flattens out it strikes the strings on each side of the
> }> flattened surface.  Since lacquer is usually applied from the 
> shoulders,
> }> the outer edges of the shoulder can be a bit crusty and you can end up
> }> with two rather pingy strike points.
> }>
> }> David Love
> }> davidlovepianos@comcast.net
> }>
> }> -----Original Message-----
> }> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
> }> Behalf Of Jerry Cohen
> }> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 6:16 AM
> }> To: 'Pianotech'
> }> Subject: RE: Evidence of overlacquered hammers
> }>
> }> Getting back to the original subject, why would over lacquering cause
> }> the
> }> hammer to strike the string at 2 different points? Did I misinterpret
> }> something?
> }>
> }> Thanks.
> }>
> }> Jerry Cohen
> }> NJ Chapter
> }>
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