<< hand-held beaters. I have used them, but I feel that I don't really have a sense of how hard I'm hitting the key and that instead of stressing the fingers and hand, I'm stressing the wrist.>> Good point, that a pounder should not simply relocate the point of impact on the hand. Mind you, none of these "stiffs" ( brass rods, two hammers glued tail to tail, etc.), does what the racquet ball does, namely bounce the impact right back into the key. I'm convinced that's the source of its power. (The little sphere also has a nice feel in the palm of the hand.) Bill Ballard RPT
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