[CAUT] hammer softener

[Alan Crane]

At 09:46 AM 3/23/2007, Paul T Williams wrote:
>
>Does anyone know what is in the Pianotek Hammer softener?  I was 
>wondering if there is some homemade stuff that would work as 
>well.  They only sell it in 8 Oz bottles and until budgets increase 
>(ha ha) to replace lots of hard, worn, really really bright hammers 
>et al, I need to use this stuff.

Hi Paul,

Several years ago, right before steam became popular for 
softening/voicing, there was a substantial interest in fabric 
softener based formulations for softening hammers.


I still use the stuff sometimes.
Mine is home made; don't know what Pianotek's formulation is.

The formula I use is:

Downey Free* (no dyes, no scent) fabric softener, and isopropyl 
alcohol (70%) in a 1/8 ratio.
(That's one part softener / eight parts alcohol)

* the particular brand is (I think) not important



Regards,

Alan B. Crane,  RPT
School of Music
Wichita State University
alan.crane at wichita.edu