Hello Corte Thanks for the description.... "Imagine a tuning lever that fits on the pin of the grand piano," I always use a "T" hammer in a grand tuning session " but instead of the handle coming out horizontally (as in a traditional lever), it goes straight up vertically. At the top of the vertical section is a horizontal section that is fastened so it forms a "T" with the vertical section. " This sounds like my usual "T" hammer... "At each end of the horizontal section is a weight that is screwed on." This where, in my "T" hammer, there is a heavy hammer peen - for belting pins in... "These two weights, at each end of the "T", provide the mass for the impacting of the pin." So far you've described my "T"! but the peens are not removeable... "If you've ever used an impact hammer for an upright," I haven't... " you will know why that design does not translate to a grand. It would be very awkward and difficult to tune a grand with an upright impact hammer." Do I read into this that you tune an upright with a form of "T" hammer? That would surely be hard on the wrist - the twisting motion I mean... "The T-impact hammer adapts the impact technique for use with grand pianos. The impact design allows extremely minute changes in the pin" By "minute changes" do you mean "turning"? " while minimizing twisting and flagpoling." What is "twisting" - is it the same as "turning" - and is "flagpoling" the act of pulling or pushing the pin toward and away from you (in a grand) - or up and down in an upright? Use of this movement to a minute degree is what I use to "set" the pin - after "turning" it to tune the string. I may be dense - I cannot understand the term "impact" in this use. I am biassed by use of an "impact" screw-driver which I use to "start" very tight screws - the "impact" is produced by use of a hammer on the top end of the driver. "A photo is worth a thousand words!..." anon Regards Michael G (UK) in the darkness of the Sussex Downlands...
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