Hammer felt (was Re: Lacquer fight!)

[Phillip Ford]

>...The older Steinway hammers were softer and almost silky to the 
>touch.  I've always thought that it was more lanolin that remained in the 
>hammer fiber, giving it a resilience.  When you file those older hammers 
>you have all sorts of trash and black spots that are trapped inside.  I 
>have always assumed that they didn't "clean the wool very well" leaving 
>more lubricant inside which also actually made it sound better.... 
>Topperpiano (TP)

I've had similar thoughts.  The look and feel of the old hammers is 
different from new hammers, even those that are seemingly trying to imitate 
the old hammers.  I wasn't around when they were new so I don't know what 
they looked like.  I imagine a lot of the yellow appearance of the old 
hammers that we see now is from age.  But I have the impression that they 
were never the snow white, super clean hammers that we see now.  I agree 
that they didn't seem to clean the wool very well.  I don't know if this 
was deliberate to get some felt properties that they wanted, or if the 
equipment and chemicals that they were using then just weren't capable of 
getting the wool as 'clean' as we can get it now.  An interesting question 
I think.  I've also thought that the lanolin or whatever else might be left 
in the wool was affecting the felt and thus the tone, but never had an 
explanation for it.  If research indicates that internal friction in the 
felt is an important parameter, this might offer an explanation.  I imagine 
that it would be interesting trying to convince a modern felt maker not to 
thoroughly clean his wool and to leave a bit of junk in the felt.

Phil Ford 



Phillip Ford
Piano Service and Restoration
San Francisco, CA