hammer felt repair

[Richard Brekne]

I can only echo Gregs comments about this kind of repair having been around for
some years, and also about it most usually being done with leather. Probably
was more usual many many years ago when lower tension hammers, scales and
everything was the rule. Heck even new hammers were made in similiar fashion at
one point.

But as to modern pianos and repair of said. IMHO this kind of thing is a waste
of time and counterproductive....despite the imperfectness of our world... :)
To be sure tho.... probably better then wood banging away at the string... but
just how much better, and why I am not so sure about.

Cheers!

RicB


 Tvak@AOL.COM wrote:

>Just tuned an Estey over 110 years old.  I also had to repair a broken
>hammer 
>shank on G7.  The hammer looked like someone had laid an extra layer of
>felt 
>over the top.  The raised layer was about 1/8" thick and extended from 9 
>o'clock to 3 o'clock.  In fact all the hammers in the top octave were the 
>same.  This was NOT a steam job, although that was my first thought,
>because 
>steam voicing will raise the felt up, but this was perfectly even.  Even
>in 
>height (steam always looks a little bumpy) and perfectly even at the ends
>of 
>the layer, which was a perfectly straight line. 
>
>Could this have been a repair job on hammers which had worn through to the 
>wood?  I've never heard of such a thing but then that doesn't mean alot.  
>
>If this type of repair doesn't exist, why not?  I could envision a strip
>of 
>felt which would fit over the top of the hammer and be glued in place. 
>Maybe 
>it wouldn't be hard enough, or have enough tension but would it be better 
>than wood? 
>
>Just wondering,
>Tom Sivak


Richard Brekne
RPT NPTF
Griegakadamiet UiB