Is it just me or is every Story & Clark cranked to maximum string tension just to get to 440? Every string feels like its ready to break.

Story & Clark, like most maker names, has changed a lot over the years, especially recently. But unless the piano is very big, bigger than any piano Story & Clark ever made, there is not much chance of breaking a string due to tension except in the very highest notes, or if there are badly scaled bass strings.