pianotech-digest V1997 #917 back

[pianoman]

Hi James,
I was told in the past that Arsenic was used in hammer felt to mothproof
it.  I wonder if in addition to getting rid of moths and old piano tuners
it hardened the hammers too.
James Grebe
R.P.T. of the P.T.G. from St. Louis, MO. USA, Earth
Piano Service and Piano Periperals
pianoman@inlink.com            May I listen as well as I hear.

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> From: james turner <JTTUNER@webtv.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: pianotech-digest V1997 #917
> Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 2:10 AM
> 
> Someone mentioned the other day about using lanolin on modern hammers.
> This got me to thinking, so I went out and bought a bottle of pure
> lanolin, so I can experiment with it on old reshaped hammers.  I got a 4
> oz bottle at my local health food store for $4.50.  I am wondering if
> this might be better to use for softening hard hammers instead of using
> fabric softner?  My first experiment has shown me that it does work.
> Maybe chemist Earl Dunlap can share some thoughts on this.  
> 
> Does anyone have any thoughts on why old hammers become hard with age?
> Besides using lacquer and sometimes shellac, was anything else used to
> voice hammers in older
>  pianos?  
> 
> Thanx
> Jim Turner