Tuning Pins

Conrad Hoffsommer hoffsoco@luther.edu
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 13:52:36 -0600 (CST)


At 18:49 11/12/99 -0700, you wrote:
>All again....
>Well just cant help it....Why do they call that thing in your hand a TUNING
>HAMMER?
>Dick MT


It's historic and folkloric...

Tuning pins on things like harpsichords were, and some still are, tapered.
If a pin is loose, all one has to do is to tap it to restore it's holding
power. This was/is done with a t-handled device which, if you grab the
tuning shaft becomes a hammer. 

So:
If something you use to hit a nail is called a hammer, and...
 if German for tuning pin is Stimmnagel, and...
 if nail in German is Nagel.
Then the thing in your hand must be a tuning hammer.

Capisce?










Conrad Hoffsommer     mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu

Chi si ferma è perduto.



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