Softening Hardened Damper Felts

[stanwood]

>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.

Try messaging the felt with your finger tips, working the felt to bring back
resiliency.   Otherwise I would recommend replacing.


David Stanwood