1999 Steinway B hammer felt fraying?

[David Love]

Some of their felt at that time was pretty bad and had a tendency to tear
when filed.  It was part of a period that I stopped using Steinway felt
altogether for that reason.  But before I did I began to prelacquer the
hammers in order to make them easier to file.  Sometimes filing down from
the strikepoint rather than toward the strikepoint can also create a very
rough surface.  Most Steinway hammers seem to have a grain and prefer to be
filed in one direction over the other.  It's generally better to file
toward the strike point, though, as filing away will create a balling up or
tearing through the layers.   If you want to clean it up you might try a
light filing with 80 grit strips lightly toward the strikepoint then take a
hammer iron and smooth them out.  I presume this is mostly the shoulders of
the hammer.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Bec and John <bjsilva001@comcast.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 8/10/2004 4:55:23 PM
> Subject: 1999 Steinway B hammer felt fraying?
>
> Hi,
>
> I tuned a Steinway B from 1999 (or 2000, can't remember the serial 
> number exactly) today where the hammer felt was frayed quite 
> noticeably. Of course to describe the the degree of it is subjective, 
> but I've never seen anything like it.
>
> Does anyone have any thoughts as to how this came to be? Not so hot 
> felt, bad filing job?
>
> Thanks.
>
> - John
>
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