<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: Impact Hammer</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> Hello,    I have a Schaff adjustable impact hammer.  I don't = know if the Meheffey hammer is available (they are back-ordered at Pianotek)=  which would have been my first choice.  I never adjust the weigh= t on my Schaff hammer, you would have to use different hand torque which wou= ld be too confusing to me.    One problem that I have had is that it squeaked, but tha= t was fixed by putting auto grease inside at the friction point.    I could not live w/out the impact hammer, before I used = to get pain in my elbow and shoulder.  I only use in tuning upright pia= nos left handed.  For grands I use a Hale extension hammer with a 15% a= ngle.    I can't say my regular hammer technique is perfect, but = for me the impact hammer is easier for moving the pin in small increments. &= nbsp;80% of the pianos I tune are verticals so I am quite familiar with the = impact hammer.    Jim Coleman Sr. noticed that I was using an impact hamme= r I was flagpoling inadvertently by leaning on it when settling the pin to l= ower the pitch.  Since then, I have noticed my unison's more stable. Th= anks Jim!    I have heard that there is a special impact for grand pi= anos, but what I have seen are too expensive. Hope this helps you, Eliot Lee <BLOCKQUOTE>I was surprised that I only r= eceived one response from my impact hammer question.  I know that a tra= ditional hammer was more popular but I thought there would be a few more tec= hnicians out there who used an impact hammer. Of those who have used both an impact ham= mer and a traditional lever, which do you prefer and why? Thanks. </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>