<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 4/20/2004 8:03:52 PM Pacific Standard Time, Piannama= n@aol.com writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>She is at wit's end, and wants he= r old M and H tone back.  I said I'd come and check the piano out, and = look into the possibility of steaming the hammers.  I'm not certain how= old the hammers are, but if something doesn't help them out soon, replaceme= nt will be in the cards(probably not a bad thing, except financially...:-().= <BR><BR>Questions:  How well does this technique work on over-lacquere= d hammers?  Can someone describe the best way to go about it?  I'v= e heard damp-cloth/dry iron works well. <BR><BR>Maybe I should try side-need= ling....:-) <BR><BR>Thanks for any input.  I'll be scoping the piano ou= t on Thursday. <BR><BR>Dave Stahl </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>   <FONT size=4>  Hold on Dave</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>  Don't bark up that steam treee yet. If it were I,= I would first try to find out what was in the solution. Probably lacqu= er or keytop & acetone. Keytop is worse & harder to remove. Since it= s recent whatever it is will readily disolve with acetone. </FONT></DIV= > <DIV><FONT size=4>     But anyway Remove the stack &am= p; take it out side. Fill your large plastic needled  squeeze bottle wi= th acetone. With the hammers positioned out away from the wippens with the t= ails on the concrete begin soaking the hammers. Get them wet & keep soak= ing them and allow for much acetone to run off the hammers. The idea is= to   wash it down and out of the felt if possible. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    Let it sit for five minutes & rep= eat again, & repeat again. Then let completely dry. After 2 or 3 ho= urs you will know if you've succeded in washing the stuff out. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>    Unfortunately it's this kind of unski= lled over application of juicing solutions which this viable voicing to= ol  a bad rap.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>   Dale Erwin</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"= >Erwins Pianos Restorations <BR>4721 Parker Rd.<BR>Modesto, Ca 95357<BR>209-= 577-8397<BR>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales<BR>www.Erwinspiano.co= m</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>