Alcohol and hard hammers

[Phil Bondi]

David Andersen said:

 > I would suggest steam; there is plenty of info in the 
archives about
 > how to steam hammers; this, IMO, is the best, quickest,
 > most controllable, least messy way to soften rock-hard 
hammers.

Ric Brekne wrote:

> Roger Jolly will supply you with a more complete description of this 
> process.


I'm not Roger Jolly - nor do I ever want to be..but 
learning how to control-steam 
bricks-at-the-end-of-hammer-shanks is not hard. ____A 
little bit goes a long way____. That's probably the most 
important thing to remember.

Another thing to remember to those who are thinking about 
experimenting with this softening method: it does not work 
on lacquered hammers..it does, but you run the risk of 
ruining the hammers if you try softening w/ steam to 
lacquered hammers. Steam works very effectively on hammers 
that have been hardened w/acetone and keytops...which 
nowadays is true for most pianos.

Get a Hammer Head Iron..a100% cotton rag - a small plastic 
bowl for water, and go to town.

This method is easier to show that it is to explain.

Right Rog??!? - David??!

-Phil Bondi(Fl)