Alcohol and hard hammers

[Ric Brekne]

I concur with David Andersen.

If you have an electric hammer iron... set the action on the bench and 
use a lightly damp (very far from wet) wash cloth. Better to start with 
a cloth not damp enough then one too wet.  Lay over the hammers tips and 
hit each very briefly with you iron.

Roger Jolly will supply you with a more complete description of this 
process.

Cheers
RicB


 > Not too long ago, on the list, I read that treating hard hammers  
 > with a little alcohol would help un-compact the felt. However,  
 > these are new hammers and are probably hard because of a hardening  
 > treatment. Today's question is: Would a small alcohol treatment  
 > help? If not, what would you suggest?

I would suggest steam; there is plenty of info in the archives about  
how to steam hammers; this, IMO, is the best, quickest,
most controllable, least messy way to soften rock-hard hammers.

David Andersen