<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hi = stephane,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Yes, I’m from = <st1:country-region w:st="on">Belgium</st1:country-region> (<st1:place = w:st="on">Limburg</st1:place>).<o:p></o:p> Maybe we can meet sometime are you = from the area of Brussels?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I will try with steelwool, where do = you get an antioxydant (in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region = w:st="on">Belgium</st1:country-region></st1:place>) for steel(iron), I know you can find them easy for silver and copper but = I don’t think they will do the trick.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Kind = regards,<o:p></o:p> Peter = Joris<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Stéphane Collin Sent: Friday, March 04, = 2005 21:26 To: <st1:PersonName = w:st="on">Pianotech</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: Restoring = Collard & Collard Grand<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Hi Peter.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I think, to remove old strings, it is very important = to avoid kinking those, or they will break.  When you release tension = on old strings, pull on the speaking length while you turn the pin, so the coil unfolds straight of the pin.  after, you can clean the string with steelwool and déoxydant (anti oxydant ? what is the english word ?) = product.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To determine what steel was used in the piano, I = would rely on in situ breaking test, knowing that in a piano, and certainly old = strings having some fatigue of being bent many times, the breaking point is = lower than what you would encounter on the same new string in a laboratory.  I believe in those times the strings were tensionned about a major third = below their breaking point, which is relatively higher a tension than modern = scaling shemes (often a major sixth).  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> By the way, are you from <st1:country-region = w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Belgium</st1:place></st1:country-region> = ?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Best regards,<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Stéphane Collin.<o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black = 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:5.0pt'= > <div> ----- Original Message ----- = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From:</span= > <a href="mailto:pjoris@pandora.be" title="pjoris@pandora.be">Peter = Joris</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" = title="pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech'</a> = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Friday, = March 04, 2005 6:25 PM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: RE: = Restoring Collard & Collard Grand<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> Stephane,<o:p></o:p></= p> <o:p> </o:p> The sound is rather good, at least = as good as it can be because the hammers are severely worn, this makes the = treble to hard and the bass to soft.<o:p></o:p> The sound is not comparable with = modern grands tho, still firm, not to sharp with a spark of briliance in it, = not glassy as I read in the modern sound = treath.<o:p></o:p> The end result will very much be = depending on the hammers<o:p></o:p> I was thinking of refelting the = hammer, now I only have to choose the felt!!!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I would be nice to know what the = correct age of the piano is, this could help me in choosing the strings, I = cleaned the bass strings already, i tested 2 bass strings and they sound a bit = better after the cleaning but this will show in the end<o:p></o:p> The plain strings are so rusty that = I don’t know how to clean them. Do you have a = suggestion?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Kind = regards,<o:p></o:p> Peter = Joris<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>