<HTML> <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> Brian Trout wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> As it relates to hammer filing, I believe it went something like this:  When filing hammers you will likely never get the high treble hammers 'pointy' enough for an optimal relationship, but the bass hammers should not be pointy, as the 'point' would serve no useful purpose tone wise, and would encourage excessive wear on the bass hammers.  Thanks to all for your perspectives. Brian TroutQuarryville, Pa. </BLOCKQUOTE> I want to see a "natural" curve to all my hammers. In my view I see the hammer as a spring and the strike point a specific point on that natural curve. Making hammers more "pointy" as suggested seem to me to refer to making the hammer more bullet shaped, but still with a "natural" curve. I never think of having more or less contact area, just a good shape to the spring and placing the apex of that curve in the appropriate physiological spot. Having more or less bullet shape seems to give more harmonic content & richer sound. I presume by influencing the way the spring collapses and rebound we somehow alter the shape of the impact "curve" (vibration wave) that will be absorbed into the natural vibration of the string. PS. I've seen "reshaping" done in straight lines to a point.      Someone likely read some article referring to a "point"      and mistakenly took it literally.                                                       Cheers                                                     Dave Renaud                                                     RPT </BODY> </HTML>