hammer shanks

[Les Smith]

Boy, Richard, now we're really getting in to it! The flexibilty of
the hammer shank has definite impact upon the tone quality of a
given hammer. Different woods,  have different flexibilities and
hence a different impact on the tone quality. It works like this:
The more flexible the wood of the shank, the longer the hammer is
going to "cling" to the string upon impact. The longer the hammer
clings to the string, the more the higher, less desirable partials
will be dampened, and the more the lower, more desirable partials
will be emphasized. OTOH, the stiffer, or less flexible the wood
of the shank, the more quickly the hammer will rebound from the
string, thus exciting and emphasizing more of the higher, unwanted
partials, and less of the lower, more desirable partials. Many
older, instruments did use cedar shanks, a fairly flexible wood
when compared to something like maple. Often when these instru-
ments are rebuilt, using maple shanks, a hammer with a heavier
wood molding and a denser felt, the original tone quality is com-
pletely lost. In particular, I'm thinking of instruments like
19th century Steinway uprights, which frequently wind up sound-
ing worse, after being rebuilt, than they did before, when they
were still in original 100+ year old condition!

As to those oblong shanks you refer to, I believe, if you look


On Fri, 21 Mar 1997, Richard Moody wrote:

> To Les's observations below, I would like to add the importance of
> the hammer shank.  I recently tuned a Wurlitzer grand (circa 1988)
> with hammer shanks in the treble section that were not round but
> oblong, or "skinny" in diameter in horizontal plane.  Perhaps words
> fail  this  description, but these "narrow" shanks must have been
> intended for tonal enhancement.  Was it  to reduce mass or increase
> flexibility? I have also seen these shanks in earlier pianos.,
> 	Of course when replacing shanks in uprights we have the option of
> which way the grain faces.  One way gives better strength, but the
> other way gives less stress to the flange centers,(theoretically)
> This is after we have culled of course. So which way is better and
> why?  Does it really relate to how the bat is held in baseball?
> 	And  regarding upright shanks, in the old days there were maple and
> cedar.(and probably birch)   Suppose I want cedar for the treble, can
> I still get them?
> 	And could I get "narrow shanks" for grand replacements?
>
> Richard Achipofftheoldlog Moody
>
> ----------
> > From: Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> > To: pianotech@byu.edu
> > Subject: Re: Bechstein-restauration
> > Date: Friday, March 21, 1997 5:45 PM
> > snip
> > So the wieght of a particular hammer depends upon BOTH the type of
> > wood used for the molding and the density of its felt.
> snip
>
> > Les Smith
> > lessmith@buffnet.net
> >
>
>