I've now got so many good suggestions, I'm going to conduct an experiment:  I'll find the brightest practice room I can and pick out the four brightest of the bright in the upper-mid treble section.  I'll try Pianotek,   fabric softener and water,   steam,   and rubbing alcohol   and then check them out the next day.  I'll let you all know what wins!! Have a great weekend!! Thanks for all the suggestions. Paul <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td width=40%>Alan Crane <alan.crane@wichita.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org 03/23/2007 12:32 PM <table border> <tr valign=top> <td bgcolor=white> <div align=center>Please respond to College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org></div></table> <td width=59%> <table width=100%> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>To</div> <td>College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>, caut@ptg.org <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>cc</div> <td> <tr valign=top> <td> <div align=right>Subject</div> <td>Re: [CAUT] hammer softener</table> <table> <tr valign=top> <td> <td></table> </table> <tt>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@wichita.edu </tt>