removal of lacquer/keytop

[Newton Hunt]

> He is willing to use different moldings (for weight) and can cut
> them to different widths.  Sounds very technician-friendly.  Plus,
> he gets his felt from Bacon, who will do the felt to Isaac's specifi-
> cations, which is apparently different than anyone else's hammers.  

This is true, up to a point.  He uses a full length molding uncut and can then slice
them to most normal thicknesses.

He does have Beacon make his felt his way in terms of tapered density and thickness
of sheet.

I like his hammers because I get a wider dynamic range than I have been getting from
other's hammers.  But than that's me.

I would suggest going for the lighter molding because his felt tends to be denser
than most.

He makes them with and without underfelt.  Frankly I cannot tell the difference
between the the two and there is a bunch more work involved in working with
underfelt.

Interesting thing is that he _listens_ to his hammers.  Don't be surprised if you get
a set with a couple of plugged holes in them, he put them on his Mason to see how
they sound.  How many hammer makers do that?  He hears subtle shades of tone that I
cannot.

I have two sets on the shelf one for me Ivors & Pond the other for my S&S upright.

Just my opinion mind you.

		Newton