Steinway hammer history

[Ron Nossaman]

>While at the factory seminar in 1987 I observed hammers being pressed on a
>screw press, that has since been replaced,  and was informed it had been
>used since the 1890's.   In my opinion the extreme reliance on lacquer on
>the part of  Steinway has has been a method used  since the forties and
>possibly resulted from the disruption of expertise at the factory during the
>period of WWII.  We discussed the difficulty of operating the press, then a
>simple screw operated device.  Robin Hufford


During WWII, Steinway manufactured gliders, and they sure doped THEM. You
know how it is. Once someone is trained to do something, it's nearly
impossible to un train them. <G>

Ron N