<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.5659" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Ha ha-</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Yes, I think in the process of our learning a lot of us have both pulled staples, and left them in, at different times and for different reasons. But it still is interesting that so many technicians, with so many years of experience, still have completely different takes on what the staples are for and whether they really are needed.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I think as far as weight reduction is concerned, that that wonderful Spurlock tapering jig allows us to skirt the staple issue quite nicely ;-) .</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Here's another issue that others have hinted at in the "staple posts":</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN class=634593217-28102008>As others have suggested, t</SPAN>here are staples, and then there are <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>S</SPAN>taples.</FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>Supply house hammers - usually have regular "staple"- type staples - U-shaped - one inserted from each side. These frequently work loose, and can start coming out because they only have their tips anchored in the wood molding. -Not a very secure fastening. This type of staples can be removed without guilt (or much effort, either) because they are cheaply installed and really don't do much good. But that is also a plus. They come out easily, if you do want to remove them. <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>Often</SPAN> the tips don't even reach the wood hammer molding, but are merely embedded in the hammer felt.<SPAN class=634593217-28102008> These are "cosmetic" staples.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN class=973074406-28102008>German Hammers like Renner and Abel -  have  T staples that go all the way through the hammer and come out on the other side, and have tabs that bend over to secure the staple.</SPAN> <SPAN class=973074406-28102008>These are a much more secure type of staple and can actually serve a useful purpose<SPAN class=634593217-28102008> (although that's still a matter of opinion, apparently).</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>Steinway and some other hammers - have "wire" type staples that go all the way through the hammer and the ends are twisted together on the other side. This, too, is a <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>somewhat</SPAN> useful and secure type of staple<SPAN class=634593217-28102008>, but probably not as stout or as effective as the T staple used by Renner and Abel. Steinway should probably go to the T staple like the others. (Of course, they still use that archaic brass covered dowel tubular action rail too...)</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Larry Fine, in his Piano Book, seems to agree with you, Dav<SPAN class=634593217-28102008>id</SPAN>. He says that Steinway calls this type of stapling "compression wiring" and that it is thought to <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>help </SPAN>maintain the compression of the shoulders.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>On the other hand, Ed McMorrow seems to disagree, in his Educated Piano book, <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>suggesting</SPAN> that the staples really serve no function (or are unnecessary) after the glue has dried, and are mainly to allow the hammermaker to buy some time by not having to leave the hammers in the press until the glue is completely dry.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN class=634593217-28102008>I have weighed t</SPAN>he staples<SPAN class=634593217-28102008> themselves and feel that they</SPAN> really don't add much, if any, weight to the hammer<SPAN class=634593217-28102008>;</SPAN> but <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>they </SPAN><U>will</U> need to be removed if you are going to try and pare down the hammer shoulders for weight removal, as McMorrow advocates in his Light Hammer technique. <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>(</SPAN>The felt, however, actually does weigh something significant.<SPAN class=634593217-28102008>)</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>What you seem to be suggesting<SPAN class=634593217-28102008>, David,</SPAN> is that the staples serve much the same function as the hammer reinforcing (that gray stuff on Steinway hammers).</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Lawrence Nalder, in The Modern Piano, says the reinforcing serves primarily to keep the hammer nose (crown) from flattening out,<SPAN class=634593217-28102008> (i.e. ever seen a "mushroomed" hammer on an older piano?)</SPAN> and shows a picture of a curious looking hammer where the wood molding splits down the middle and then comes up on each shoulder of the hammer felt,  <SPAN class=634593217-28102008>holding the felt securely between two "pincers", </SPAN>serving the same purpose as the reinforcing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><BR><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN class=973074406-28102008>A lot really</SPAN> depends on the type of staple.<SPAN class=634593217-28102008> Some staples are pretty useless. Others are just semi-useless, er, I mean semi-useful.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left></SPAN><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>~Kendall Ross Bean</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=973074406-28102008> <DIV align=left> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=533361603-16112007>PianoFinders</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=533361603-16112007><A title=http://www.pianofinders.com href="BLOCKED::http://www.pianofinders.com/">www.pianofinders.com</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=533361603-16112007>e-mail: <A title=mailto:kenbean@pianofinders.com href="BLOCKED::mailto:kenbean@pianofinders.com">kenbean@pianofinders.com</A></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=533361603-16112007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=533361603-16112007><EM>Connecting Pianos and People</EM></SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=634593217-28102008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><BR> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> <HR tabIndex=-1> <FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Farrell [mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 28, 2008 2:45 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Role of the Staple on a hammer<BR></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>So how exactly did this post inspiration come to you David? I'll bet you were lying in bed thinking that Terry Farrell probably just spent half the day yesterday yanking staples out of a set of new hammers for weight reduction - "I know, I'll write a post about how staple removal will ruin a set of hammers......."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=4><STRONG>;-)</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Anon....</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR>> ----- Original Message -----  <BR>>> An older subject but I've been meaning to comment on this.  A few things<BR>>> have been written about whether the staple is necessary to secure the glue<BR>>> joint on a hammer.  While I do agree that the glue does most (if not all) <BR>>> of<BR>>> the work holding the felt to the molding, I think the staple does play a<BR>>> role in maintaining the overall tension in the felt.  Hammers without<BR>>> staples must resort to reinforcers (which I have done on occasion) or some<BR>>> application of heat to stabilize this region.  I think the use of heat to<BR>>> create stability has a potential downside in that too much will simply<BR>>> remove tension from the felt rather than reinforce this area in any<BR>>> particular way.  For that reason, I'm not yet ready to abandon the use of<BR>>> the staple.<BR>>><BR>>> David Love</FONT> </BODY></HTML>