Backcheck noise

[A440A at aol.com]

<<  new Steinways recently with very loud hammer
tail to backcheck leather contact noise--especially audible on a soft blow.
The leather looks and feels relatively normal but the noise is definitely
bothersome.  What is the likely cause and remedy.   >>

Tails too rough.  I can get good checking when I leave them pretty smooth on 
a radius is about 3" but it seems that factory hammers are often much steeper 
than that and depend on rough tails for checking security. 
    Sometimes, the new hammers don't have enough material left on the tail to 
correct the radius, <sigh>. 
Regards, 
 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html