stretching wire -- an anecdotal analysis

[Ron Nossaman]

> What about wood? Why does wood _slowly_ crush?
> 
> [kurt]

Because it's under constant compression from string tension, 
while it's cyclically changing dimension with seasonal 
humidity swings. Hammer handles get loose because constrained 
wood crushes in the damp seasons more than it can spring back 
to fill the hole in the hammer head in dry.

Pretty basic stuff.
Ron N