Damper lever felts, dents in

[R Moody]

I am servecing a 70's Cable Nelson consloe "Made by Everette".  Around C4
(middle C) some of the damper lever felts are so indented from the pressure
of the damper spoon that that dent catches the spoon upon return and won't
allow the wip to return all the way.  Some others do return but much slower
than with the damper pedal depressed.

The felt does not appear to be cheap or defective or worn out, just
depressed as if from the pressure from the damper spoon against it all the
time.  It is thicker than usual when compared to older upright felts.

My questions are, why are some of the felts dented but not others in the
area?   Can the position of the damper spoon be a cause?   Some of the
dampers rise too soon, but that often happens after the 2nd or 3rd lost
motion adjustment.
Is the damper lift rod supposed to be regulated keep the damper levers off
the felt?   Do the spoons have to be positioned to avoid denting the felts?
I have never worried about dampers lifting too soon unless they are failing
to damp quick enough, on consoles and uprights at least.
Can the damper springs be too strong?  A sample spring from this piano the
last one, # 64? takes 4 ounces to move the flange, while a lever from an old
upright  takes 8 ounces.  The old one's felt is twice as thin as the C
Nelson.

Can I steam these "dents" out?  I tried one, dabbing water on the dent and
then applying the clients iron set at lenin.
The dent came out but who knows for how long?   Then I tried my hammer
softening solution, (patent pending ;) but have to wait until Tuesday when I
return.  I wedged the pedal down so the lever felts would be off the spoons.

If anyone has worked with these dents I would like to know other than
replacing the felt.

Richard Moody
                            "Nature has placed in our minds an insatiable
longing to see the truth."
                                    Marcus Tullius Cicero (106BC-43BC);
Roman statesman, scholar and orator