"Oval or Round Shanks"

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Daleboy@aol.com wrote:
> 
> dear list,
>   Who here can say with positive proof that thinning the sides of
> the shanks is the only acceptable mothod of effecting tone in the upper
> octaves? Might it not be possible that some additional support for left or
> right flex of the hammer in that area might be lost by thinning the sides
> only and thereby losing square hammer to strings contact on harder blows??
>   Isn't side taper a recent trend?
> Thanks much!
> 
> Regards,
> Dale

Sorry, I didn't finish my first post...

No, side taper is not a recent trend. I don't know just how far back it
goes, but well back into the last century. It was done on both grands
and uprights. Also, the practice of using cedar hammershanks was an
attempt at accomplishing the same result--reducing the mass as much as
possible. 

--ddf