I use fairly hard test blows for all pianos. I'm talking about playing softly while manipulating the lever. I'm a believer in making a piano stable. Just not a believer that it has to be done by hurting my ears, hands, and other joints. :-)  The way I see it, if I'm standing up at a piano, and smacking it from that position, it's reasonable to assume that no pianist is going to hit harder than that. If they do, that's piano abuse, and they can have their unstable piano then. I just don't see how they can routinely play harder than most tuners do for test blows, and still have any finger dexterity left. Therefore, I'm adopting the view that my hands, elbows, and shoulders are more important than murderously ferocious test blows. It just ain't worth it. Particularly when stability comes from lever technique, based on how close the piano was to pitch before the fine tuning. Soft, rapid playing while tuning will cause the string to move just as well as moderately hard or hard playing while tuning. IMO, of course. YMMV, as they say.  :-) I have also used that hammershank technique I mentioned a while back. It never felt so natural, and wasn't as quick as a test blow, but I probably wasn't completely used to it. Works, though, and I might try it again. JF <div>On 6/9/07, David M. Porritt <<a href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a>> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Tuning softly is usually fine for the home console used by the 9-year-old. It is easier to hear.  However, if you do concert work or tune for some of the "heavy hitters" that can get you in to trouble.  I used to be an evangelist for soft tuning until I was quite embarrassed at a recital given by a HH and some unisons came unglued. Musicians Hearing Protectors (pick your brand and/or supplier) should be packed in your tools before the tuning hammer.  They are more important to your career than your tuning lever, your ETD or any other tools you think are essential. This same goes for the pianists.  I'm trying to convince our students to get hearing protection before they have advance tinnitus and hearing loss. Practicing on a Steinway "L" or "B" in a 10' x 12' room for 5 hours will do damage.  One student was starting to hear buzzes after long practice sessions so he finally went to an audiologist and got the hearing protectors.  His ears have recovered.  Some are not so fortunate. dave </blockquote></div>