Hammer hardeners: a poll

[antares]

I once wrote an article about this subject for our Dutch 'Nieuwsbrief', our
'journal'. 
In this article I told about how the most suitable wool was chosen from the
very best sheep in the world, to be used as hammer felt.
Why is this sheep's wool so suitable?
because the wool structure is very fine and has a particularly strong
resilience which is so needed for a good and strong tone quality. The more
resilience the better the tone. A hammer head which produces a beautiful and
strong tone without the use of dopes or additional hardeners is, according
to me, the very best hammer with the most pure and cleanest tone.

We (Grand Piano in Holland) use those kind of hammers all the time and they
are very consistent in quality and thus always need the same treatment : not
too much voicing, around 10-15 stabs in the highest bass hammers ( with
three needles on both sides of the hammer), 30-40 stabs in the mid section
and usually I use the power in the lower regions of the lowest bass hammers
and the highest treble.
Afterwards just a little hardener is needed in the first 5-7 bass hammers
(just a few drops on top of the crown) and the last 6-7 treble notes
(soaking completely).

A very good and easy hammer with beautiful natural felt.
In my opinion it is murder to use dope on these hammers, except in the very
lowest and highest regions.
The word 'hardener' tells it all : it hardens and clots the felt and deadens
the natural resilience. It also kills the tone.
That's why in the factories where I was for training I have seen them dope
their hammers only in the lower regions of the lowest bass hammers and the
highest treble.
In these factories the finest pianos were made and what they used as
hardener was always either shellac (Zappon) with thinner or Collodium (I
believe you guys say Collodion).
The use of dissolved plastic does not seem right although it works very
fast.
I always use Collodion and I have a small glass bottle with pipette in my
tool case. It consists of ether, alcohol and collodion.
Collodion is used as a hardener in nail polish.
It smells bad for some time (because of the ether) but works fast and gives
a good tone.
Most traveling techs in Europe use collodion or Shellac.

another round of euro cents.

friendly greetings
from

Antares,

Amsterdam, Holland

"where music is, no harm can be"

visit my website at :  http://www.concertpianoservice.nl/


> From: Matt Wynne <rustraze@optonline.net>
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Thu, 04 Jul 2002 15:52:37 -0400
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Hammer hardeners: a poll
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> While the subject of hammer voicing is being bandied about, I would like to
> know what people's favorite hammer hardeners are.  I know that a lacquer
> based solution requires some time for the results to show whereas the
> acetone/keytop mixture works real quick.
> 
> Any comments?
> 
> -Matt
> 
>