alcohol & water for hammer softening

[Dave Nereson]

> Greetings,
>
>              Can you use water and alchohol or fabric softener to soften
> hammers?
>
>
> Julia
>

    Yes.  It's curious how things go in and out of fashion.  Ten or so years
ago, many techs were saying fabric softener was a viable thing to use.  Now,
recently, I've heard arguments against it -- that it doesn't last; that it's
not the greatest thing for the felt; that it causes corrosion on the
strings.  I've used it on only two pianos, and haven't noticed any adverse
effects yet.  On one, it had an immediate tone-softening effect, but indeed
didn't last.  Once the felt was packed down again from heavy use, they were
breaking strings again.  ViseGrips!  Then fine-voicing with needles.  (This
is an Asian "Wurlitzer" that had extremely hard hammers.)
    Water and alcohol has had for me, so far, about the same effect as
steaming or fabric softener.
    --David Nereson, RPT