<HTML>In a message dated 1/24/03 10:03:35 AM Central Standard Time, michael.gebhardt@swipnet.se writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">In order to get a smoother change, I had to strike the note several times VERY firmly after each slight turn of the pin, to equalize string tension. So here the question: Since I haven't so much tuning practice, it might take many such firm strikes before getting an acceptable final result. So I ask for your opinions if this might lead to an excessive wear of the hammer felt (compression and engraving of the strings), more than say a few hours of normal playing. Thanks in advance Michael _______________________________________________ </BLOCKQUOTE> Michael. What you are experiencing is nothing unusual. It's called rendering the string past the friction points. It is something all of have to do in the process of tuning. There are, in fact, 6 friction points the string has to be rendered through, in order for the string to be stabilized. You've experienced one of them, the capo bar. (The same thing happens with the agraffs.) The other places are: at the tuning pin, over the stringing felt between the tuning pin and the V bar, 2 places across the bridge, (front bridge pin and back bridge pin), and around the hitch pin. The amount of wear on the hammers is not significant. I'm not saying it isn't happening, but over the life of the hammer, it isn't that much. It is also part of the usual "wear and tear" on the hammer. The piano has to be tuned. There is no other way around it. Wim. </HTML>