noisy dampers

[Horace Greeley]

Hi, Patrick,

At 06:10 PM 1/29/2001 -0500, you wrote:

>"End nippers" like for cutting center pins?? Or are there scissors with a 
>ninety degree offset which would do the job properly? Anybody else have a 
>"best" nomination for the tool to do trim trichords in situ?

Define "in situ".  If you mean, as they sit, in the instrument, that is one 
thing.  If you mean, on site, out of the instrument, that is another.

In the former case, Newton's end nippers (if nice and sharp and used, 
mostly, only for felt) will will work fine.

In the latter, I prefer a short-ish pair of very sharp sewing 
scissors.  There are some very nice ones (not cheap) which are slightly 
serrated, which helps to hold the felt whilst trying to make a straight 
cut.  Hold the damper head upside-down in your off-hand, and make cuts from 
front to back on the one side, then back to front on the other, and you 
will (after a bit of practice) be able to pretty well duplicate Newton's 
diagram.

Also occasionally helpful is to put some thread/twine of appropriate 
diameter well into the center cut(s).  This helps to spread the felt a bit, 
without distorting the areas that pass through the strings.

While there may be some gain in sanding or "picking up" the felt (with a 
voicing tool), I have found that is generally mostly useful only on felt 
which should be replaced anyway (new or old).

As a further aside, the under-the-strings in situ method should be 
practiced on pianos of lesser value (to everyone) before being tried on 
pianos of greater value....  Unless, of course, one likes the idea of 
having to replace all that felt/etc., or worse, having someone else paid to 
replace it.

If I can find a name or brand for those scissors, I will post it.

Best.

Horace