Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum HOLY CRAP! BEYOND MY WILDEST HOPES!

I knocked over and spilled my PianoTek hammer softener, so I made home-brew with 4-1 rubbing alcohol/fabric softener. Seems to work about the same. I touched up the Whittier focusing on a few notes that were a tad brighter than their neighbors and also treated the bass all the way down. Softer hammers actually seem to make the notes sound much richer and more complex. I swear that now there is a deep element to the bass that I can feel in my stomach!

I wasn't doing much good at all with the needling tool, so I am going to stick with the easy way.

Of course, I am a mere DIYER and not an expert voicer, but still thrilled with the results.

Next I will do the Steinway. But right now I have only very roughly tuned it after shifting strings sideways to get them out of grooves worn in the v-bar. Will leave a good tuning to Cook's Piano Service and hope the strings don't slide back!

QUESTION: I understand that with needling you treat the very nose of the hammer to mellow out light playing, further back on the shoulders for loud playing. Would this refinement of technique also apply to the use of liquid softener? It seems like it would.

And thanks immensely to whoever it was that suggested the home-brew formula!

Next project is going to be radically lightening hammers approx. #82-#88 to produce more of a musical note and less a wooden clunk.

It seems like the replacement hammers have way too much weight and felt at the very top end of the piano. One the Starr when I replaced hammers I left the old ones at the very top.

Need something to keep this old fart busy!

Don in Austin

Don, I'm glad your happy with the results, but I think I would caution against the use of fabric softener next time. The simple fact being who know exactly what compounds are used in its manufacturing, and I'm sure this would vary from brand to brand. A safer bet would be using lanolin mixed with alcohol. Lanolin occurs naturally felts and if it's safe enough for nursing moms there's a good bet it's safe for your hammers.... Lol. Whatever you use, use sparingly to avoid transfer to the strings. I did a reshape and voice job last year on a small grand. I used a single needle with some lanolin to help the process ( just wiped on the needle itself) did some deep shoulder work, dead bass strings got a twist, the difference was night and day when I was done!