Key Whakker

[Dave Nereson]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ken Jankura=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 6:15 AM
  Subject: Re: Key Whakker


  I also use one, but why some people would make it heavy is beyond me. =
As if
  your arm doesn't weigh enough. Also, the technique of a quick wrist =
flick
  almost assures that you can break hammer shanks or keys at will :-)  =
Mine is
  wood, 3/8" by 3/4" by 5" with hammer felt on the end. The rectangular =
shape
  is useful to orient it in your hand so you can turn it a little and =
have
  better aim at the sharps. I don't tune without it. My fingers used to =
get
  really sore, not anymore. It's attached with elastic and allows me to =
play
  intervals or music at any time. Sometimes I'm so happy to be using it, =
I
  break into song.
  Ken Jankura RPT

  > Terry,
  > At 22:39 02/05/2001 -0500, you wrote:
  >
  > >Anyone else use such an apparatus or something similar like a =
padded
  dowel
  > >or such? Did the sore arm thing go away? What has been anyone =
else's
  > >experience?
  > >
  > >I have pictures is anyone is interested.
  >
  >
  > Yes, many years ago I made myself a lead filled dowel with hammer =
felt
  > glued on the end.
  > Pictures also on request...
  >
  >
  >
  > Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician -mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
  > Luther College, 700 College Drive, Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045
  > Voice-(319)-387-1204  //  Fax (319)-387-1076(Dept.office)
  >
  > Education is the best defense against the media.
  >
  >
  >
  Yes, I use a key pounder.  Used to use two upright hammers glued =
tail-to-tail.  It saved the fingertips, but  wasn't heavy enough.  Then =
a leather-worker friend of mine folded over a piece of fairly thick =
leather roughly 3 in. x 3 in., sewed it up, filled it with lead shot, =
and added a rectangular "foot" on the bottom, which I can replace when =
it gets worn, and I've used it for more than 10 years.  It's heavy =
enough to give my key-pounding hand a little extra momentum, eliminating =
the impact to the finger joints and fingertip nerve endings, but not so =
heavy as to be tiring.  I try to keep an almost-stiff wrist, letting the =
weight of my forearm contribute to the blow also -- just enough to =
settle the strings, not so much as to break a shank or string.  I also =
wear one of those tennis player elastic Ace-bandage-type wrist braces on =
my pounding hand.  I tune grands right-handed and uprights left-handed =
to distribute the abuse, and pause often to extend my elbow, flex my =
wrists, rotate my shoulder, etc.  Don't stare at the tuning pins the =
whole time -- look around the room, up, down, left, right.  Same when =
regulating; holding your head/neck in the same position for long periods =
can lead to a stiff neck.  I found out the painful way. =20
      Another technician I know uses a small ball-pein hammer with a =
rubber pad glued to the face of it as his key bonker.  The one in the =
current issue of the Journal looks a bit unwieldy to me, but to each his =
own, I guess.
  I've even heard of key pounders for octaves, which I was considering =
making, until I started using an SAT and didn't need one any more.   =20
      I can still get a sore arm if I do a two-pass pitch raise plus =
final tuning on a stubborn piano, but this is rare.
  --Dave Nereson, RPT, Denver

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/51/fd/89/73/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--