Role of the Staple on a hammer

[Carlos Ralon]

As a former Sohmer dealer we would soak a Sohmer hammer (unstapled)with shank in a pint of water next to a competators stapled hammer in water. The result, Resorsonal (spelling) glue held for the Sohmer, and the other failed.  Conclusion, the two jars always left marks on the salespersons desk.
Carlos Ralon, RPT
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Love 
  To: 'Pianotech List' 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:25 AM
  Subject: RE: Role of the Staple on a hammer


  As I mentioned, I don't think that the staple necessarily holds the felt to the molding.  The glue itself is adequate for that.  I've not seen glue joint failure on hammers with staples pulled and I have seen it on hammer with staples still in place.  I think the integrity of the hammer that Brooks refers to is the tension in the felt.  Over time I have noticed that the staple tends to become more embedded suggesting that the felt expands or wants to release tension in that part of the hammer.  On heavily lacquered hammers the felt is bound together by the lacquer and the hammer is not really a tensioned hammer anymore and this progression won't happen.  Thus, with Steinway style hammers that are heavily lacquered I don't think the staple plays a role this way.  Moreover, with the staple removed it is probably a good idea to apply a heavy dose of lacquer to the lower shoulder down in the area where the staple normally resides (Terry).  Don't let it creep under the crown where it can influence the tone but it's probably a good idea to bind the felt in that region if it has no other support.  That will remove one's ability to purposefully release tension from that area by needling which can serve to actually strengthen the crown of the hammer but it's probably a worthwhile tradeoff.  



  One other question is just how substantial does the staple need to be to hold the tension in the manner described.  Staples come in all sizes and I wonder how heavy the gauge needs to be to do the job.  Abel and Renner staples are quite heavy.  Steinway staples are not but considering the role of the staple in a Steinway hammer it probably doesn't matter.



  David Love
  davidlovepianos at comcast.net
  www.davidlovepianos.com 

  -----Original Message-----
  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Barbara Richmond
  Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 9:17 PM
  To: Pianotech List
  Subject: Re: Role of the Staple on a hammer



  Hi David,



  I've taken staples out--only because other people told me I could...and well, I believed them.  :-)   At the CERS this fall, Wally Brooks told a fellow that the integrity of the hammers was destroyed (can't remember his exact words, but he got pretty excited about it) when folks remove staples to control hammer weight.   I figure Wally probably knows something about hammers...



  Anyway, I'd be interested if anyone had ever had a hammer spring open (some time, sooner or later) after removing the staple.  Guess I'll be crossing my fingers about those staples I've removed in the past--though I think most of them had a bunch of lacquer holding them together.  



  Barbara Richmond, RPT

  near Peoria, IL





  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
  To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
  Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 9:50:40 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
  Subject: Role of the Staple on a hammer

  An older subject but I've been meaning to comment on this.  A few things
  have been written about whether the staple is necessary to secure the glue
  joint on a hammer.  While I do agree that the glue does most (if not all) of
  the work holding the felt to the molding, I think the staple does play a
  role in maintaining the overall tension in the felt.  Hammers without
  staples must resort to reinforcers (which I have done on occasion) or some
  application of heat to stabilize this region.  I think the use of heat to
  create stability has a potential downside in that too much will simply
  remove tension from the felt rather than reinforce this area in any
  particular way.  For that reason, I'm not yet ready to abandon the use of
  the staple.
       
  David Love
  davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
  www.davidlovepianos.com



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