<HTML>Roger, Thanks for the input.  You have an astounding amount of knowledge, = and I appreciate you sharing it!   Is polythene impervious to acetone?  Where might I find a sheet of = it? If I understand correctly, this method washes the hardener deeply enough= into the hammer so that we are left with an outer layer of felt that we can= needle. It sounds like an operation to be performed in an area with adequate ven= tilation. Thanks again, Dave S. In a message dated 4/20/04 8:55:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time, roger.j@sas= ktel.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARG= IN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Hi Dave ,            &nbsp= ;      Not that great.    I sug= gest you try a plain acetone wash.    1.  Install long voicing block. 2.  Cover wippens and back checks with polythene. 3.  Soak hammers with acetone, until liquid is running down the mol= ding. 4.  Wait 10mins for the acetone to plasticize the hardener. 5.  Drench hammers again two or three times to wash the hardener fu= rther down into the hammer. Wait 24hrs before playing the piano.  Now voice in the traditional = manner. If it has been really overdone with hardener,  there may be no alte= rnative, but to replace the hammers. You need to explain your ever move to the client., #1 This "MAY" work to your satisfaction,  and consequently save you= quite an expense. #2  If it does not work, then we will have to look at replacement. = and the cost is going to be $ X.00 Good luck Roger At 09:03 PM 4/20/2004, you wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARG= IN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Voicers, steamers, needl= ers, what have you, I have recently done a small amount of work installing short lid props f= or a woman who has two pianos, a Steinway M, and a Mason A.  When I was= there, she complained about the tone of the M and H, saying that the last t= uner applied something to the hammers, and it hasn't been her sweet old pian= o since. I tried the instrument, and sure enough, it sounded like bricks hitting = tin cans.  I told her that if she was dissatisfied with it, she should = call the person who juiced it and have her voice it down.  She did, and= lots of needling didn't do the trick. When I was there last, I'd mentioned that I heard steam voicing yielded = good results, but I wasn't sure how it would work on over-lacquered hammers.=  And I've never tried the technique myself, though many on this list h= ave sung its praises.    She is at wit's end, and wants her old M and H tone back.  I said I= 'd come and check the piano out, and look into the possibility of steaming t= he hammers.  I'm not certain how old the hammers are, but if something = doesn't help them out soon, replacement will be in the cards(probably not a = bad thing, except financially...:-(). Questions:  How well does this technique work on over-lacquered ham= mers?  Can someone describe the best way to go about it?  I've hea= rd damp-cloth/dry iron works well. Maybe I should try side-needling....:-) Thanks for any input.  I'll be scoping the piano out on Thursday. </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>