<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1479" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Thumper said: "<FONT face="Times = New Roman" size=3>"Reinforced" refers to the lacquer applied at the rear<BR>of = the shoulders. The staples are to help keep the<BR>felt from peeling off the = wood moulding in humid<BR>climates, when the glue fails. ( As it did all over<BR>Hawaii !!! Spring clamps and Titebond II to the<BR>rescue. )"<BR>Thumper, et al,</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV>Not so!<G> A "true" reinforced hammer had the glue surface = area imbedded with a combination of things. For Steinway, it was potash, = (left-overs from their boiler), combined with olde hide glue and some other things = unknown. The hammer felt area, that was to be glued was dipped in this "noxious" solution. The intent was to make the glue bond better. However, a side = effect, that they hadn't counted on was a reinforcing of the shoulders of the = hammers, that created a better, if not unique sound. </DIV> <DIV>Today, I know of no hammer that incorporates this method. All = "Reinforced" hammers, to my knowledge, are simply dipped in a Dye, to make them LOOK = like they are reinforced!!! It does absolutely nothing for the tone or the = glue integrity!!! The modern glues that are used, for making hammers, today, = have far better adhering qualities, so the use of the "Staple" is not needed, = even though most still use it. ( I suspect they use the staple, so that they can = remove the hammers from the "press" before the glue is set...it's a production thingee.<G>) Many technicians remove those darned things, before = hanging the hammers. Their intent is to lighten the hammer. (every little bit = counts). IMO, the only situation that would warrant a staple is in extremely high = humidity situations, that would attack the glue bond of the = hammer.</DIV> <DIV>Best Regards,</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>