[CAUT] Tuning Hammers

[Leslie Bartlett]

We have a local Steinway tech who has gone nuts on "head research", even
having zero degree heads made.  He has preached his gospel for several
years.  I happened by when he was tuning one day, and he asked me what I
used. So I pulled out a home made hammer, with ball and 15 degree head. He
tried it and said, "Gee, this is really nice."      Go figure..........
les bartlett

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Kent
Swafford
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 4:48 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Tuning Hammers


On Jan 24, 2006, at 10:57 AM, James Ellis wrote:

> If you analyze the geometry, you will
> see that you are better off with a medium head and a 5 degree bore
> than you
> are with a super-short head and a super-high angle that puts the
> force -
> your hand - way up in the air above the plane that's perpendicular
> to the
> tuning pin.
>
> No way would I use any tuning hammer with a 20-degree bore head.

I'm not arguing the geometry point; there is every reason to believe
you are right.

But -- I used a 5 degree head for two decades, and then tried a 20
degree head and knew immediately I had found a new home. It felt right.

There is one huge benefit to using a "super-short head and a super-
high angle" and that is the leveraged weight at the end of the lever
when tuning grands. A short head is lighter and can move from grand
tuning pin to grand tuning pin with ease. The weight of a larger
head, leveraged as it is when tuning grands and holding the lever
from a ball end, just feels wrong, awkward, unwieldy, etc. The
difference in weight between a short and long weight is very
noticeable because the weight of the head and tip are leveraged when
tuning grands and holding the weight in horizontal position so far
away from the hand.

Choose your poison.


Kent




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