[pianotech] Hardening bass hammers

[Joe Goss]

Hi David,
As others have suggested it may not be the hammers.
Other things to try that may lead you to decide what is needed.
1. Lower a note (one string of a soft sounding one ) about an octave and pound with a heavy test blow force 10 to 20 strokes in rapid style
Bring the string back to pitch and listen to see if there is improvement in the sound.
2. Need more? Remove same string from hitch pin> as you remove the string (  do it with vice grips so that you can see if the string has been twisted ) twist string unichord no more than one full twist bichord no more than two full turns.
More than this will destroy the string by adding unpredictable false harmonics.
If the above does not help examine the bridge assembly for soundness before deciding to install new strings.
Joe Goss BSMusEd MMusEd RPT
imatunr at srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David Boyce 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2012 4:47 PM
  Subject: [pianotech] Hardening bass hammers


  I don't have much experience with using laquer etc to harden hammers, and I am looking for advice. 

  A recent example typifies a situation I've encountered before. A client has bought a large good-quality upright, about 80 years old.  The bass hammers are rather soft. They are not deeply grooved. I have ironed them, but this produced only minimal improvement. 

  Obviously the proper solution is to fit new hammers.  But where cost is a factor, what could I do to harden the existing hammers. 

  What is needed I think is not to make the surface harder but to make the overall texture more dense.  What would be a method to do this at minimal cost?

  Advice will be most welcome.

  Best regards,

  David
  www.davidboyce.co.uk
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