Hammer Felt the A quality getting better every day

[Isaac OLEG]

Hi Phil,
thanks for your words. I did not believe you where having disrespect
to Wurzen, that is due to my simplified English if you felt so .

Notice that the original "AA" quality from Wurzen have get so much
better in a few days that it is now the AAAA quality !

I believe that Laoureux was making hammer felt from a long time as
part of the production. I am less sure for VFG, possibly the German
factories asked them to produce some after the closing of Wurzen .
If some wool is not carbonized, another process may be used with the
washing to get rid of unwanted material.
I'll have a look at your site. May be also what is called carbonizing
those days is the whole process, including bleach, while the vegetal
are yet carbonized. The acid is stopped with a base during the washing
(or is the acid used after washing, I am still unsure of the process).
So the allergy to acid seem a little strange to me, if well done, no
acid traces may remain, as stopping acid with a base is a very
efficient process I guess.

best regards , I like to live those days !

-----Message d'origine-----
De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
part de Phillip Ford
Envoye : mercredi 19 mai 2004 00:53
A : pianotech@ptg.org
Objet : RE: Hammer Felt


I wrote:

>Unfortunately for us, I think that the felt properties that would
>make the best piano hammers are not the felt properties that most
>industrial customers are looking for....

>and that the
>maker wouldn't be bothered to make felt to their specifications for
>what he
>considers such a tiny quantity.

Isaac wrote:

>I guess the same occur in Germany, the difference actually is that
the
>felt provided is piano hammer felt from the start , designed and
>produced for that use. that diserve much respect toward the director
>of the felt factory. A little like if someone may say today he wants
>to be a piano tuner !
>
>Best Regards.
>
>Isaac OLEG

      I believe that the situation is different in Europe presently,
although I have the impression that you are going the same direction
that
we are.  I was amazed when I talked to Renner some years ago and found
that
they would be perfectly willing to make one custom action for me.  An
American action manufacturer would have laughed me out of the place.
If
you want 1000 of these we can talk, otherwise don't let the door hit
you on
the way out.  So, I do believe it would be more likely there than here
that
very specialized felt in small quantities could be made.
      None of my comments were intended to show disrespect for Wurzen
or
Klaus Brand.  I admire what they're doing.  And initial indications
are
that they may be making the best hammer felt on the planet at the
moment.  They deserve our support.  At the same time, I get a little
anxious when I hear anyone saying or implying that this or that
company or
product has achieved perfection.  If you convince yourself of that you
tend
to relax your diligence in insuring that your product remains the
best.  This is the very thing that Steinway is often accused of on
this
list.  Also, as good as the Wurzen felt may be, I'm not convinced that
it
resembles the felt on old American hammers which so many of us here
believe
would give us the sound that we want.  Time will tell.

Phil Ford


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