Hello Group(s):
I wanted to share the results of hammer draining and lanolin saturation on one of our Steinway M's at the U. where I work as tech. This is an M from c. 1968 that I restrung this summer. It lives in a small practice room used by piano majors, and has gotten much more use in the last 4-5 years than ever before. I had replaced the original hammers at least 10 years ago, and finally had time to reshape them and try Fred Sturm's Magic Hammer Re-Juvenation Process. I wasn't that optimistic because I most likely added too much lacquer when I replaced them. They were very hard and raucously bright. If things didn't work out I planned to replace the hammers again. I first 'drained' all the hammers in lacquer thinner to hopefully get some of the lacquer out. There wasn't that much change in the way they sounded; some cloudiness in the thinner solution that drained off. Then, I 'juiced' the hammers with about a 4-5 to 1 solution of thinner(4-5 parts) to lanolin (1 part)- not a real precise ratio but not 10 to 1-fairly robust, I thought. I warmed the lanolin, mixed it with the lacquer when it was liquido and added the solution to the crowns and top shoulders of the hammers in a crescent-moon shape, trying to avoid the core just above the molding. When I put the action back this AM the change was remarkable. The hammers have a solid punch without any shrillness throughout the scale. i really was amazed. As far as I'm concerned, I'm done with this one. I've too much else to do to futz with it any more, but I'm really happy with how it sounds compared to how it was, and for a 50 year old S&S that will get beat up it is much better than I had hoped. Much thanks and gratitude to Fred for this technique! I hope this helps someone out there.
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[Stephen] [Kabat]
[Cleveland State University]
[Cleveland ] [Ohio]
[216/687-5037]
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