<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV> <STRONG><EM> Hi Dave</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   I routinely go thru a process of finding the optimal strike line when hanging new hammers, so the ability to quickly remove them without damage & then reinstall them is very important. .......Well obviously." Even when I have done a thoro job of locating what I think is the optimum strike spot, & hang the hammers I frequently find myself aurally tweaking the location later during or after final voicing. The area in question covers a large segment of the trebles so this tool makes quick work of this process without damage to center pins & endless time consuming heating of the shank & hammer head to persuade the glue to give in. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  I frequently receive  actions in the course of belly work that have already been "rebuilt." New Renner hammers & parts or Abels etc.  Too Heavy a hammer for the knuckle location part or hammers I don't like on that piano or just to dang heavy period.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>    Another scenario is I remove the hammers then relocate the knuckles where I want them & prep the hammer of my choice & reuse the shanks. It takes a shop grunt 3 hours to do this so recycling $00.00 shanks is a good deal for 25 bucks labor & a set of knuckles.  It does Require a slotting jig.  I also use your method of removing hammers I am putting in the trash.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Hey How's Ron N's D sounding?</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Dale</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  P. S I have  brand new set of Brooks bored & prepped Abels preped for a 20 note Steinway.  </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>    Less than a few hours of play.  Make an offer...selling em cheap</EM></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face="Times New Roman" color=#000000 size=2> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dale:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I am right now in the process of taking some hammers off shanks.  I have a hammer removing tool, but only use it if I want to save the hammers for some reason (they're not totally shot and there might be a piano around here with a lower priority that could use these.)  Most of the time, however, I just cut them off as I'm doing now.  A hefty pair of diagonal cutters will split the tail and then pull them off and throw them away.  I've always found that faster than the hammer puller.  <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">How does this new tool do with the glue collar?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">dp<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">David M. Porritt</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A title=mailto:dporritt@smu.edu href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</A></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>