Susan, Four days ago I just finished easing a whole set of tight hammer shank flanges in a Steinway Grand by applying "Protek" with a syringe. At first, I thought it worked wonderful. Two days later, however, the same centers were tighter than before. So I used my 15 Watts soldering iron with a fine tip and figured out after a few trials, 5 seconds each side of the tight center pins just brought it back to 5 swings. I rechecked this today and it seems to work fine. I will check it again after a couple of days. Why it works many times but not all times is still a riddle to me. By the way, I taught this procedure twice at the National Conventions and I am convinced there is a good use with this procedure. I will be glad to send you my Syllabus about my class "Verdigris, a Piano Cancer we can live with" by regular mail. Let me know if interested. Hans Sander, RPT U of Louisville, School of Music >>> sckline@home.com 09/29/00 08:45AM >>> At 11:12 PM 09/28/2000 -0700, you wrote: >Had excellent results in freeing up a very sluggish action by heating the >hammer flange pins with a soldering iron. My question to those who have >done this: How long can this freed-up condition be expected to last? >The owner plans to have this 81 year old S&S rebuilt in 3-4 years, so is >hoping to keep it going til then. My inspiration for the heat remedy came >from postings some time ago on this most informative list. Thanks & >regards, Henry Kopek, RPT Chicago Chapter I once used Mehaffey's "zapper" on hopelessly seized S&S hammer flanges, which had been totally soaked with something oily by some unknown protagonist. I think the oil speeds up the verdigris process. It's too bad that the first signs of verdigris are usually treated with lubricants rather than repinning. Though not a "cure", I think that early repinning and not adding anything oily would give longer service before the inevitable parts replacement. The zapper heats the center pin by an electrical current. These parts also were about to be replaced, and the owners wanted a year's use out of them first. They moved away, so I don't know the long-term effects, but the flanges got a little too loose, as vaporized oil bubbled and fumed off in little bursts of smoke. There was some clicking afterwards, but no sluggishness. The concern about heating the center pin enough to free the action is that it also chars the birdseye. I don't think heating should be done except on parts that are already slated for demolition. Susan
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