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 > }> > }> _______________________________________________ > }> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > }> > }> > }> _______________________________________________ > }> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > }> > } > } > }_______________________________________________ > }pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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