Steinway hammers

[David ilvedson]

> Date:          Fri, 14 Feb 1997 20:22:03 -0500 (EST)
> From:          RPSPIANO@aol.com
> Subject:       Re: Steinway hammers
> To:            pianotech@byu.edu
> Reply-to:      pianotech@byu.edu

Try A. Isaac's hammers.  They are wonderful!


ilvey, RPT
Pacifica, CA

> Hello list
>
>   On the 28th of Jan. I had the pleasure of meeting Nikolaus
> Schimmel,  of Schimmel Piano, at an informal gathering.
> One of the interesting comments made by Herr Schimmel
> was after the reunification of Germany,  it was discovered
> that a former East German felt manufacturer was still
> making felt the "old " way because they had been unable to
> modernize  their equipment.  The company name is Wurzen
> I believe that  is correct .
> Maybe Andre knows of this company? Or another list member?
> It was my understanding that all 8 German piano makers
> were producing or getting hammers from this felt, inculding
> Hamburg Steinway.  Will this material makes its way into
> the U.S. market?  Renner maybe?  Mr. Schimmel stated
> that the hammer shaped like a pre- WWII hammer, in a
> continuous layer,  not like the fuzzy lint I see in most
> hammers.
>
> Mark Ritchie
> Cols OH
>
>
>
> "The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid,
>  firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward
>  the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in
>  order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but
>  with sufficient resistace back of it to permit the hard blow of
>  fortissimo playing."                 - Alfred Dolge 1911
>
>
> An interesting note.  A hammer is the felt and the felt is the fiber.  Long
> renowned in felt making circles is the wool fiber from South African Merino
> Sheep.  The finest, most resilient felt is produced from blends that have a
> high percentage of this fiber.
>
> For decades South African wool fiber has been generally absent from piano
> hammers produced with felt made by countries who joined in the embargos on
> the previously racist regime.  With the uplifting change in politics and the
> lifting of embargos, South African Merino Wool Fiber is once again used in
> Steinway hammers.  This information is from the president of the Bacon Felt
> Co. in Taunton Mass. who produce hammer felt for Stenway, not to far from my
> home on Martha's Vineyard.
>
> David C. Stanwood
>
>
>
>