Tail checkering

[David C. Brown]

        Dear list;

        A quick note on a method learned today. Recently installed a set of
Premium Blues. Great hammers and easy to work, but I found the tails a bit
smooth. Try laying the stack on it's face, (let off rail down). Using a set
of parallel jaw pliers, move one hammer forward, grasp the sides of the
hammerhead and brace your hand firmly on the bench. This stabilizes the
assembly well so as not to harm the pinning. Use a sharp checkering file to
roughen the tails to your taste. Work lightly in the grooves that you start
so as not to cross cut the checkering already begun. Go straight across the
tail, taking care to not catch the tail and break something(ask me how I
know!) you don't want broken. When you finish you should have distinct
lines across the tail with no roughness. Any fuzz on the side can be
cleaned up w/ a light pass of sandpaper on a block or the appropriate file.
Kind of a small thing, but I bet I will get better, more consistent
checking. Thanks for reading.


                Regards;

                David

David C. Brown RPT
School of Music
The University of Texas at Austin
dcbrown@mail.utexas.edu