[CAUT] Fwd: Steinway sound-Hammer weights

[Edward Sambell]

Years ago,many sets of hammers were double tapered. That is, there was a 
straight continuous taper from the bottom hammer to about note 72, which 
actually had a greater bulk of felt than #72 on later sets. From there to the 
top they tapered more sharply, so that C88 had less felt than today's hammers. I 
asked Jack Brand about this two years ago at the Canadian Assn. of Piano 
Technicians convention in Toronto. He knew exactly what I was talking about. 
Once,. I was able to obtain two double tapered sets and really liked the 
results. but the maker at the time, D, M. Best would not  supply them any more. 
No doubt it would have meant modifying their equipment. Instead, they threw out 
all but two of their sixteen hammer presses, destroying most of them, and 
installed heating coils on the last two. From then on the hammers were a 
disaster. They used a thermal setting glue and staples instead of wiring them 
through. The hammers were in and out of the press in fifteen minutes. For a time 
the felt was coming unglued on some of the hammers, till they finally got the 
problem under control. Staples are completely useless as they barely penetrate 
into the moldings, so they simply pulled right out.I am sorry to see Abel using 
them in their vertical hammers now, though they are a fine product and the 
staples are merely cosmetic.We had few choices in those days, and are lucky now 
there are good alternatives. I would still like to have a choice of double 
tapered hammers.

Ted Sambell




________________________________
From: Delwin D Fandrich <del at fandrichpiano.com>
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Tue, March 1, 2011 10:42:23 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fwd:  Steinway sound-Hammer weights


I’m curious; you say you would not go “that light. It’s ridiculous.” Why 
ridiculous? I’ve not found it to be ridiculous at all.
 
ddf
 
Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Design & Fabrication
620 South Tower Avenue
Centralia, Washington 98531 USA
del at fandrichpiano.com
ddfandrich at gmail.com
Phone  360.736.7563
 
From:caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Dale Erwin
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 11:30 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Fwd: Steinway sound-Hammer weights
 
 
 
  My goal weight on the extreme right is what I would choose to install on this 
piano with the high ratio, high velocity system in this piano. I would not go 
that light. Its ridiculous. This action has action ratio issues so we are moving 
the knuckle out to handle ta bit more hammer weight and removing some lead.
 I separated the molding from an original treble hammer. 2.26 grams. Very 
light.  Prepping this set of raw Ronsen hammers will be quite easy to take 1 & 
1/2 ish grams off in the bass and 1 in the tenor treble to make the weight 
listed at the left.  So Ihope this has answered your question as to weather 
modern hammer made the old fashioned way is available for the original model of 
action prevalent in Pre-war Steinways
 
 
Dale S. Erwin
www.Erwinspiano.com

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