<html> <body> Hi Michelle, At 05:50 PM 9/5/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> Hi all.  A couple of days ago I asked the group about Naphtha and other liquids that might free up an old Steinway action.   The hammers were really stiff (1 to 1.5 swings) so I removed each hammer, lubricated, wagged them back and forth, and got about 5 swings out of them.  </blockquote> What did you lube them with? Naptha? <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> I was so proud of myself until I put the action back in the piano.  The action moved much better but two other things happened:   <ol> <li>The piano had a more mellow tone--almost muffled in some areas <li>About four notes have a strange small tinny sound almost like a guitar string is being plucked.  </ol>  Is it possible that the strings aren’t hitting exactly in the same (deep) grooves as before?  I put some travel paper under the tinny notes which helped some but not all. </blockquote> Why did you do that? Were they not travelling correctly? Tinny notes don't necessarily mean they aren't traveling correctly. Travel the shanks, do the burning and then see what they sound like. Then do the hammer to string mating. Traveling isn't the way to correct a "tinny" sounding note. Necessarily! :-) Avery <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">     Still learning and looking forward to your opinions,   Michelle Smith</blockquote></body> </html>