Filing hammers

[Ric Brekne]

Getting absolute horizontal crowns using any method whatsoever requires 
a bit of practice.  Some find one method easier then others.  I file 
upwards towards from both shoulders without ever really taking the crown 
off at all to begin with.  I end up with a small tuft at the top which I 
end up "polishing" off.  You can use gang filing (polishing as it were) 
for that without compromising your shoulders no problem if you like.  I 
sometimes finish that way anyways.

I find that most of the problem getting horizontal tops comes from using 
too much pressure with the paper.  Rather, use a rougher grade and a 
lighter touch to get the same work done.
Cheers
RicB

Hi Ric.

Thanks for your answer.  I do use the stuff André sells, and I like it also.
But how do you manage, with sanding paper the width of a single hammer, to
get absolutely horizontal crowns ?  That is good with the gang filing : I DO
have 13 hammers that are horizontal enoug to need very little, if any,
string mating correction, on a gang of 15.  Don't you have to correct every
single hammer with the one hammer width strip job ?

Best regards.