<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV>In a message dated 5/10/2004 1:03:52 PM Pacific Standard Time, Richard.= Brekne@grieg.uib.no writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>Hi Bernhard.<BR><BR>An interesting point that = I see no one has really answered too.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR>RicB<BR><BR></FONT></= BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT size=4>  Hi Bernard</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>Bernhard Stopper wrote:<BR><BR>>Hammers par= ameters are not only stiffness/springieness.<BR>>A big influence on sound= quality is the amount of the energy that is lost<BR>>due to the hammers = inner friction of the fibers.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT size=3><STRONG>>>> Which no doubt is in direct correla= tion with it's inate stiffness /sprininess or lack of it.</STRONG></FONT></D= IV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>A good felt quality has a<BR>>high ability = of rebounding a big amount of the input energy. </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>  <FONT size=3><STRONG>Providing it got adequate & appropria= te pressing resulting in tension & compression.</STRONG></FONT></DI= V> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>It seems logic<BR>>that this rebounding abi= lity on a high quality hammer is reduced by<BR>>lacquering. </FONT></BLOC= KQUOTE> <DIV>  <STRONG><FONT size=3>To me This certainly seems to me to be th= e misinformation of this thread but if you wish.... If so then  a hamme= r made with a good felt but is not stiff enough or to springy for = the tone desired then a 5-1 lacquer acetone solution ,or whatever, will stif= fen the felt & improve its rebound rate.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>On the other hand, it might be possible that o= n a hammer with a<BR>>bad felt quality with excessive inner friction may = be stabilized to a better<BR>>level by lacquering.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT size=3><STRONG>>> May I submit that the  Inner frict= ion of felt  has always been a fairly esoteric & small conside= ration to the discussion of hammers even though it is a know factor & fr= ankly to me personally not very useful.</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3>  Rgeards--Dale</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial><BR>><BR>>regards,<BR>><BR>>Bernha= rd</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"= >Erwins Pianos Restorations <BR>4721 Parker Rd.<BR>Modesto, Ca 95357<BR>209-= 577-8397<BR>Rebuilt Steinway , Mason &Hamlin Sales<BR>www.Erwinspiano.co= m</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>