Singing Samick

[David Andersen]

>Roger,
>You had an article on steaming in a recent Journal, right?  I'm 
>considering trying it on a 1  year old Yamaha G2 that has already begun 
>breaking strings in the treble....hotel lounge with big bands and probably 
>no monitor for the piano...
>David I.


Oh yes.  Steaming is good.  Get an electric teakettle with a spout that 
will fit the strike point and high-to-mid shoulders of the biggest 
hammers----preferably one without a whistle in it.

RESPECT STEAM.  Steam can hurt you. Badly.

That said, plug it in and wait 'til steam is a-rollin' on out; set the 
action in your lap; carefully pick up the kettle, and put its bottom 
front edge on the shank screws of the hammers you want to soften.
With your other hand, reach down and bring the hammer to the spout.  
Immerse  the strike point and high-to-mid shoulders in the hottest part 
of the steam---right where it comes out of the spout---for, let's say, 
initially a count of 2.  Swing it up---1, 2---swing it back.  Unplug the 
kettle, put it down, put the action in the piano, and check out the 
difference.  Sometimes you need more; very rarely do you need less; if 
more IS needed, repeat in 2-second increments.  The most I've ever used 
on a hammer---a set of Renner Blues that some knucklehead had soaked in 
lacquer---is eight seconds.  That was nervous time deluxe; holding a 
hammer in a jet of steam for eight seconds feels like an eternity.  Most  
Asian rocks masquerading as hammers need 2-4 seconds. 

Steam is beautiful. Steam saves time and broken needles.  Steam is 
semipermanent, lasting as long as a deep needling on hammers with meduim 
to heavy use.

Hope this helps........David Andersen